HEATING  -  -  OIL  BURNERS 


A  SUMMARY 

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MOST  APPROVED  PRACTICE 
IN  THE  APPLICATION  OF 
AUTOMATIC  OIL  HEATING 


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MODERN  BUILDING 


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,  Prepared  by 

ELECTROL  INCORPORATED 

ST.  LOUIS,  U.  S.  A. 
Manufacturers  of 

ELECTROL 

The  ALL-ELECTRIC  OIL  BURNER 
WITH  THE  MASTER  CONTROL 


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A  SUMMARY 

OF  THE 

MOST  APPROVED  PRACTICE 
IN  THE  APPLICATION  OF 
AUTOMATIC  OIL  HEATING 

TO  THE 

MODERN  BUILDING 


Prepared  by 

ELECTROL  INCORPORATED 
St.  Louis,  U.  S.  A. 

Manufacturers  of 

ELECTROL 

The  AlhElectric  Oil  Burner 
With  the  Master  Control 

Copyright  1928 


Table  of  Contents 


Text  Page 

Present  Standards  of  Oil  Burner  Design .  5 

l^asic  Essentials  of  an  Automatic  Oil  Burner 

Installation .  6 

1  he  Oil  Burner .  6 

Boilers  for  Oil-fired  Heating  Plants .  6 

Wfiirm  Air  Furnaces  Adapted  to  Oil  Firing.  .  .  7 

Fitting  the  Burner  to  the  Heating  Plant .  7 

Chimneys .  7 

Ventilation  of  Boiler  Room .  8 

Storage  Tanks .  8 

Multiple  Installations .  8 

Piping  and  Valves .  8 

Electric  Wiring .  8 

Controls .  10 

I  he  Part  the  Dealer  Plays .  12 

Supplementary  Uses  for  the  Oil  Burner .  12 

The  Domestic  Hot  Water  Supply .  12 

a — Indirect  Water  Heaters .  12 

h — Direct  Method  of  Heating  Domestic 

Water .  13 

Garbage  Incineration .  13 

Fuel  for  Automatic  Oil  Burners .  13 

The  Cost  of  Oil  Heating .  14 

a — Installation  Cost .  14 

b — Operating  Costs  of  Oil  Heating  Systems  14 
Range  of  Application  of  Automatic  Oil  Heating 

Systems .  17 

The  Electrol  Oil  B  urner .  18 

General  Description  of  Electrol  Oil  Burners.  ...  18 

Summary  of  Principal  Features  of  the  Electrol 

Oil  Burner .  18 

Principal  Parts  of  the  Electrol  Oil  Burner .  19 

Nozzle .  19 

Pump .  19 

Diaphragm  Valve .  19 

Motor  and  Fan .  19 

Pressure  Regulating  Valve .  19 

Strainer .  20 

Purolator .  20 

Thermostat .  20 

Ignition  Transformer .  20 

Radio  Interference .  20 

Relay .  20 

Materials  Used  in  Electrol .  20 

Fhe  Electrol  Master  Control .  21 

Dimensions  and  Capacities  of  Electrol  Burners  21 
Oil  Burner  Service  for  Architects  and  Engineers  21 


Page 

Specifications  of  Complete  Equipment  for  an 
Electrol  Oil  Burner  Installation  in  Accordance 


with  the  Underwriters’  Rules .  22 

General . ' .  22 

Burner  Guarantee .  22 

Burner .  22 

Pump .  22 

Oil  Atomization .  22 

Regulating  Valve .  22 

Service .  22 

Boiler  Work .  22 

Smoke  Flue .  22 

Tank .  22 

Piping .  22 

Testing .  22 

Control  Devices .  22 

Safety  Control .  23 

Boder  Controls .  23 

Oil  Gauges .  23 

Electric  Current .  23 

Fire-proofing .  23 

Permits .  23 


Extracts  from  Underwriters’  Rules  for  the  In¬ 
stallation  of  AutomaticOil  BurningEquipment  23 

Illustrations 

Tanks .  9 

Thermostats  Recommended  for  Electrol  In¬ 


stallations .  10 

Controls .  11 

Hot  Water  Boder  Control 
Warm  Air  Furnace  Control 
Mercoid  Controls. 

Electrol  Installed  in  Steam  Furnace .  12 

Electrol  Installed  in  Incinerator .  13 

Oil-Consumption  Charts .  16 

Assembly  of  Model  T  Electrol  Burner .  18 

Nozzle .  19 

Pump .  19 

Diaphragm  Valve . 19 

Motor  and  Fan .  19 

Pressure  Regulating  Valve .  19 

Strainer .  20 

Ignition  System .  20 

Continuous  Electric  Arc .  20 

Chart  of  Dimensions  and  Capacities .  21 

Diagram  of  Typical  Electrol  Installation .  24 


f  2] 


Advantage  of  oil-fired  heating  systems,  17 
Air  leaks,  7 

Air  rotation,  principle  of,  18 
American  Oil  Burner  Association,  13 
American  Petroleum  Institute,  13 
American  Society  for  Testing  Materials,  13 
Anti-siphon  valve,  10 
Architects  and  Engineers,  service  for, 
by  Electrol  Dealers,  21 
by  Electrol  Engineers,  21 
Atomization,  mechanical,  principle  of,  5 
First  applied  to  domestic  burner,  13 
Automatic  control  of  incineration,  13 
Automatic  control,  system  of,  10 
Automatic  water  feeder,  22 

Baffle,  conditions  necessitating  construction,  7 

Boiler  feed  controls,  10 

Boilerstat 

part  of  regulating  device  for  oil  burners,  6 
specified  for  Electrol  installations,  22 
Boiler  thermostat,  12 
Boiler  work  for  Electrol  installations,  22 
Boilers 

capacity  needed  to  carry  domestic  hot 
water  heating  system,  12 
design  which  gives  best  results,  6 
development,  6 

standard  types  suitable  to  oil  burner  in¬ 
stallations,  7 

Chimneys,  7 

stack  capacity  for  oil,  7 
Clock  thermostat  specified  for  Electrol  in¬ 
stallations,  22 
Combustion  chamber, 

designed  for  maximum  efficiency,  6 
proper  construction  of,  7 
specifications  for  Electrol  installations,  22 
design,  22 
material,  22 

relation  to  boiler  and  nozzle,  22 
Combustion 

completely  controlled,  5 
factors  controlling,  5 
roar  of,  eliminated,  5 
Controls,  system  of  automatic,  10 
boiler  feed,  10 
domestic  hot  water,  10 
emergency,  10 
hot  water,  10 
low  water  cut-off,  10 
Master,  21 
steam,  10 
thermostats,  10 
vapor  system,  10 
warm  air  furnace,  10 
Controls 

built  as  unit  with  burner,  6 
not  affected  by  room  temperature,  6 
correct  installation  necessary,  6 
specifications  in  detail  for  Electro  in¬ 
stallations,  22 

Cost  of  heating  domestic  hot  water  by  oil,  13 
Cost  of  oil  heating  system 
installation  cost,  14 

principal  items  of  expense,  14 
quotations  through  dealers,  14 
variation  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  14 
operating  costs,  14 

design  of  burner  important  factor,  6 
factors  controlling  cost  of  operating,  14 
methods  of  estimating,  14 
Cut-off  valves,  12,  19 

Dampers,  7 

specifications  for  Electrol  installation,  22 


Index 

Dampers  {continued) 

Underwriters’  rules  for  damper  area,  23 
Dealer 

important  part  in  success  of  installation,  12 
qualifications  demanded  of,  12 
responsibilities  of,  12 

Diaphragm  valve  used  on  Electrol  burner 
operation  of,  19 
purpose  of,  19 

Domestic  hot  water  control,  10,  12 
Domestic  hot  water  supply  provided  by  oil 
burner,  12 

limits  of  indirect  method,  13 
Draft,  7 

Duplex  switch  (low  water  cut-off  and  pres- 
surestat),  10 

Electric  current  for  Electrol  installations, 
proper  voltage,  23 
Electric  wiring 

capacity  of  supply  outlets  for  different  size 
burners,  10 

installation — by  recognized  electrician,  10 
— in  accordance  with  Under¬ 
writers’  rules,  10 

Electrol  engineers 

contribution  to  standard  practice  in  oil 
burner  installation,  6,  18 
improvements  effected,  18 
in  touch  with  latest  developments,  6 
Electrol  Incorporated,  18 
budget  for  research,  19 
Electrol  Master  Control,  21 

conditions  under  which  it  functions,  21 
purpose  of  control  system,  21 
Electrol  oil  burners 
capacities  of,  21 

complete  specifications  for  installation  of  22 
boiler  controls,  23 
boiler  work,  23 
burner,  22 
control  devices,  22 
electric  current,  23 
fire-proofing,  23 
guarantee,  22 
oil  atomization,  22 
oil  gauges,  23 
piping,  22 
pumps,  21 
permits,  23 
regulating  valve,  22 
safety  control,  23 
service,  22 
smoke  flue,  23 
tank,  22 
testing,  22 

dimensions  and  capacities  of  different 
models,  21 

general  specifications,  22 
materials  used  in,  20  _ 
principal  parts 

diaphragm  valve,  19 
fan,  19 

ignition  transformer,  20 
motor,  19 
nozzle,  19 

pump,  19  _  ,  in 

pressure  regulating  valve,  19 

purolator,  20 

relay,  20 

strainer,  20 

thermostat,  20 

product  of  a  pioneer  organization,  18 
Electrol  research  laboratory,  18 
Emergency  controls.  Underwriters’  rules,  24 

!31 


Fan  used  on  Electrol  burner 
operation,  19 
size,  19 
type,  19 
Filling  pipes 

equipment  and  location.  Underwriters’ 
rules,  23 

Fire-proofing  of  boiler  room,  23 
Fire  protection  required  by  Underwriters.  24 
clearance  for  smoke  pipes,  22 
covering  of  combustible  materials,  24 
Flash  point  for  fuel  oil,  23 
Flues 

cleanliness  necessary,  7 
defects  must  be  corrected  for  Electrol  In¬ 
stallations,  22 
question  of  capacity,  7 
reduction  in  size  for  oil,  7 
Flue  gas  analysis  necessary,  7 
Fuel  oil 

confusion  of  terms,  13 
grades 

carried  by  distributors  for  convenience 
of  users,  13 

specifications  according  to  A.  O.  B.  A., 
A.  P.  I.,  13 

grade  specified  by  Underwriters’  rules,  14 
Fuel  oil  gauges,  10 
Future  supply  of  oil  assured,  13 

Garbage  incineration 

flame  of  oil  burner  ideal  for,  13 
heat  from,  utilized  for  heating  water  for 
domestic  purposes,  13 
method  of  automatic  control,  13 
Guarantee  of  Electrol  burner,  22 

Heating  coils  necessary,  12 
Hot  air  furnace,  7 

any  type  adapted  to  oil  firing,  7 
should  be  gas-tight,  7 
Hot  water  controls,  10 
Hydrostat,  10,  12 

Ignition,  principle  of,  18 
Ignition  transformer  used  on  Electrol  burner 
design,  20 
purpose,  20 

Infiltration  of  secondary  air,  7 
Installation  of  oil  burner 
costs,  14 

dual  installations.  8 

no  limit  to  size  of  building  heated,  17 
for  domestic  hot  water  heating,  12 
in  steam  and  vapor  boiler,  12 
in  hot  water  boiler,  12 
for  tank  heater,  13 

possible  in  any  boiler  of  standard  construc¬ 
tion,  6 

standard  practice  developed  by  Electrol 
engineers,  5 

Instruction  card  required  by  Underwriters,  24 
Local  ordinances 

installation  of  electric  wiring,  10 
installation  of  Electrol  burners,  22 
Low  water  cut-off,  10 
Underwriters’  rules,  23,  21, 

Manholes,  Underwriters’  rules  for,  23 
(See  cut  p.  9) 

Manual  control  of  Incinerator  recommended, 
13 

Manual  restarting  of  burner,  6 
Master  Control,  21 


Index — Continued 


Materials 

for  wearing  parts  of  burner,  6 
used  in  Electrol  burner,  20 
Mechanical  atomization,  5 
principle  of,  5 

rotation,  method  of  securing,  5 
used  on  Electrol  burner,  5 
Mercury  switches,  19 
Motor  used  in  Electrol  burner 
size,  19 
speed,  19 
type,  19 

Nozzle,  6 

used  on  Electrol  burner,  19 

Oil  atomization  on  Electrol  burner,  22 
Oil  burners 

advantages  for  summer  hot  water,  13 
approximate  number  in  use,  5 
basic  principle — mechanical  atomization 
of  fuel,  5 

care  in  selection  of  proper  size,  7 
design  should  fit  type  of  heating  plant,  6 
durability  of,  judged  by  results,  6 
Electrol  Oil  Burners 

dimensions  and  capacities,  21 
general  description  of,  18 
Master  Control,  21 
materials  used  in,  20 
flame  of,  ideal  for  incineration,  13 
features  common  to  satisfactory  oil 
burners,  5 

flexibility  responsible  for  success,  6 
lines  of  present  development  in  domestic 
oil  burners,  5 

improvements  made  by  Electrol  en¬ 
gineers,  5 

perfection  of  accessory  details,  5 
standard  practice  developed  by  Electrol 
engineers,  5 

modern  and  satisfactory  types,  6 
no  longer  new  thing,  6 
success  due  to  sound  engineering  basis,  5 
successful  application  other  than  domestic 
use,  5 

supplementary  uses  for,  12 
Oil-fired  heating  systems 

adapted  to  all  types  of  buildings,  17 
advantages,  17 

not  limited  by  size  of  building,  17 
rapid  increase  in  adoption,  17 
Oil  for  fuel.  Underwriters’  rules,  23 
Oil  gauges  specified  for  Electrol  installations 
purpose,  23 
operation,  23 
type,  23 

Oil  line  controls,  10 
Oil  pump 
capacity,  6 

integral  part  of  burner,  6 
on  Electrol  burner,  22 


Oil  piping  for  burner  installations 

in  accordance  with  Underwriters’  speci¬ 
fications,  23 

materials  specified  for,  22 
necessary  parts  of  system,  22 
Open  circuit  operation  of  safety  control,  19 
Operating  costs  of  oil  burner,  14 
factors  causing  variation,  14 
Orifice,  5 

Permits  for  burner  installations,  22 
periodic  charges  borne  by  owner,  22 
provided  by  contractor,  22 
Pipe,_  piping 
swivel  joints,  8 

proper  material  for  oil  line,  8,  23 
proper  material  for  vent  pipes,  8 
sizes  for  suction  and  return  lines,  8 
Underwriters’  rules  regarding,  23 
Pressure  atomization,  see  Mechanical  atomi¬ 
zation 

Pressurestat— 

for  steam  system  control,  10 
for  vapor  system  control,  10 
Pressure  regulating  valve 
necessary  for  oil  pump,  6 
used  in  Electrol  burner,  19 
operation  on  Electrol  burner,  22 
Pump 

connection  of,  18 
type  used  on  Electrol  burner,  19 
detailed  description  of,  19 
capacity,  22 
operation  of,  19,  22 
double  purpose,  19 
“Purolator” 

installation  recommended,  10 
used  on  Electrol  burner,  20 
purpose,  20 
type,  20 

Radio  interference,  20 
Regulating  device  for  oil  burner,  19 
Relay  on  Electrol  burner,  20 
operation  of,  20 
Room  thermostat,  10 
purpose,  10 

type  used  in  Electrol  burner,  20 


Safety  control  specified  for  Electrol  installa¬ 
tions,  23  (See  Master  Control,  p.  21) 
conditions  of  operation,  23 
unit  with  burner,  23 
Servicing  of  Electrol  burner 
what  it  consists  of,  22 
length  of  free  service  period,  22 
Sirocco  fan,  19 
Shut-off  valves,  8 

Specifications  for  Electrol  installation,  22 
Steam  system  controls,  10 
Storage  tanks 
basement  tank,  8 


Storage  tanks  {continued) 

capacities  determining  location,  8 
Underwriters’  rules,  23 
excavation  for,  8 

filler  pipes.  Underwriters’  rules,  23 
for  sub-gravity  installation,  8 
location 

basement,  8 
underground,  8 
Underwriters’  rules,  23 
relative  costs  for  Inside  and  outside 
tanks,  8 

specification  of  material  for 
Electrol  installations,  22 
safeguarding  underground  tank,  8 
testing  of,  22 
types,.  8 
vents — • 

location,  material,  size,  22 
wall  type  to  feed  burner,  8 
Strainer  used  on  Electrol  burner 
operation,  20 
purpose,  20 
Suction  lines,  8,  22 
Switches,  22 

Electrol  installation  mercury,  19 
Systems  of  automatic  control,  10 

Tanks,  oil,  see  storage  tanks 
Tank  heater,  13 

diameter  of  fire-pot  necessary  for  satis¬ 
factory  operation,  13 

Temperature  control  system  for  different 
types  of  boilers,  12 
Thermostats 

types  used  in  Electrol  burner,  10,  20 
Testing  of  Electrol  installations,  22 

Underwriters’  rules,  extracts  from,  23 
damper,  24 
emergency  control,  24 
fittings,  24 
fire  protection,  24 
installation,  24 
instruction  card,  24 
oil,  23 
piping,  23 
tanks,  23 

Valves 

anti-siphon,  10 
cut-off,  10,  19 
diaphragm,  19 
needle,  19 

pressure  regulating,  19 
shut-off,  8 

Valves  and  fittings,  quality,  8 
Vapor  system  controls,  10 
Ventilation  of  boiler  room,  8 
Underwriters’  rules  concerning,  24 

Warm  air  furnace  controls,  10 
Wiring,  electric,  10 


Present  Standards  of  Oil  Burner  Design 


HE  extraordinary  success  of  the  domestic 
oil  burner  is  largely  attributable  to  the 
fact  that  its  development  was  from  the 
first  based  on  a  sound  foundation  of 
engineering  knowledge. 

Oil  burners  have  been  successfully  used  in  heating 
large  buildings,  in  power  plants,  locomotives,  and 
in  ships,  for  the  past  thirty  years. 

During  this  period  a  mass  of  information  was 
accumulated  and  made  available  to  engineers.  As 
a  result  of  this  work  the  development  of  the 
present  types  of  domestic  oil  burners  consisted 
largely  in  eliminating  the  roar  of  combustion, 
which  would  be  objectionable  in  a  dwelling,  and 
in  working  out  the  application  of  automatic  control 
devices  to  a  machine  whose  actual  operation  had 
already  reached  a  high  degree  of  efficiency. 

How  well  the  problem  has  been  solved  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  there  are  at  least  500,000  automatic 
oil  burners  now  in  use. 

Although  differing  greatlj^  in  construction  and  in 
external  appearance,  the  oil  burners  which  have 
given  satisfaction  have  in  common  the  following 
features : 

a.  A  device  for  atomizing  the  oil  mechanically. 

b.  The  application  of  the  right  amount  of  air  at 
the  point  of  combustion. 

c.  Means  for  insuring  thorough  and  complete 
mixing  of  air  and  oil  supply. 

d.  Means  for  igniting  the  mixture  of  oil  and  air 
and  for  maintaining  the  combustion. 

e.  Means  for  automatically  starting  up  or  shutting 
down  the  burner. 

f.  Means  for  immediately  shutting  off  the  burner 
and  the  oil  supply  whenever  any  unusual 
conditions  arise. 

burthermore,  m  addition  to  these  requirements  of 
operation  and  construction,  which  are  more 
rigorous  and  exacting  than  those  required  by  any 
other  heating  method,  the  modern  oil  burner  must 
operate  at  a  high  rate  of  efficiency. 

1  he  basic  principle  upon  which  all  of  the  most  suc¬ 
cessful  oil  burners  have  always  operated  is  that  of 
mechanical  atomization  of  the  fuel.  This  principle 
is  as  fundamental  in  oil  burner  design  as  ftielvapori- 
zation  is  to  automobile  engine  design. 

In  the  mechanical  system  there  are  three  funda¬ 
mental  factors  that  control  the  proper  combustion 
of  fuel  oil,  (1)  the  atomization  or  breaking  up  of 
the  oil  into  minute  particles;  (2)  the  introduction 
of  air  in  just  sufficient  quantity  and  in  such  a 

f 


manner  that  it  surrounds  every  particle  of  oil  and 
causes  complete  combustion;  and  (3)  a  combustion 
chamber  so  constructed  that  the  gases  are  kept 
above  ignition  temperatures  until  combustion  is 
complete. 

The  pressure  or  mechanical  atomizer  has  been  in 
use  a  number  of  years  and  is  adopted  by  the 
United  States  Navy  as  standard.  There  are  a 
number  of  pressure  atomizers  on  the  market,  of 
which  Electrol  is  a  good  example.  All  incorporate 
the  principle  of  forcing  oil  under  pressure  through 
passages  in  the  atomizer  so  arranged  as  to  give  the 
oil  a  high  velocity  of  rotation.  The  rotation  is  ac¬ 
complished  by  means  of  tangential  grooves  discharg¬ 
ing  into  a  small  cylindrical  chamber.  The  tip  end  of 
this  chamber  is  coned  out  and  at  the  apexof  this  cone 
is  the  orifice  through  which  the  oil  is  discharged. 

On  leaving  the  orifice,  the  small  streams  of  oil  break 
up  into  very  fine  fog-like  particles,  resulting  in  a 
cone  of  finely  atomized  oil.  At  this  point,  the 
finely  divided  oil  meets  a  cross  current  of  air 
rotating  in  the  opposite  direction  to  the  oil 
particles.  These  cross  currents  of  oil  and  air 
become  a  turbulent  mixture  of  air  and  oil  fog. 

Just  at  this  point,  the  turbulent  mixture  meets  the 
ignition  and  is  burned  completely  in  a  specially 
constructed  firebrick  enclosure  before  it  is  allowed 
to  pass  over  the  heating  surfaces  of  the  boiler. 

So  long,  therefore,  as  mechanical  atomization  forms 
the  basis  for  oil  burner  construction,  improvements 
in  oil  burners  will  be  confined  to  further  perfection 
of  accessory  details. 

Electrol  engineers  have  always  regarded  mechan¬ 
ical  atomization  and  electric  ignition  as  essentials 
to  satisfactory  operation.  Working  from  these  as 
a  basis,  they  have  made  improvements  in  electrical 
equipment,  including  both  motors  and  trans¬ 
formers.  They  have  eliminated  the  roar  of  com¬ 
bustion  which  was  such  a  handicap  in  the  earlier 
days  of  oil  burners,  by  the  introduction  of  air 
tangentially  in  an  air  receiver,  thus  cutting  down 
'the  velocity,  and  eliminating  the  torch  effect.  They 
have  effected  improvements  in  overall  design  and 
in  specification  of  materials  for  construction, 
which  have  resulted  in  economies  of  construction 
and  reduction  of  maintenance  costs. 

At  the  same  time  they  have  studied  and  success¬ 
fully  coped  with  a  great  variety  of  installation 
problems  in  order  to  be  able  to  work  out  standard 
installation  methods  representing  the  best  possible 
practice  for  all  sorts  of  conditions. 

5! 


Basic  Essentials  of  an  Automatic  Oil  Burner  Installation 

Present-day  oil  burner  installations  involve  con-  the  single  exception  that  pipe  for  oil  lines  should  be 
siderable  detail,  as  reference  to  the  typical  sped-  black  iron  or  brass  and  free  from  scale, 
fications  for  an  Electrol  Burner  Installation  Xhe  peculiar  elements  of  an  oil  burner  installation 
(page  22)  will  show,  concern  the  selection,  arrangement  and  installa- 

However,  a  great  number  of  these  details  are  con-  tion  of  the  heating  plant,  storage  tank,  burner  and 
cerned  with  piping  and  wiring,  both  of  which  boiler  controls.  The  following  discussion  briefly 
have  been  reduced  to  a  standard  practice  and  summarizes  the  main  points  to  be  considered  in 
present  no  problems  peculiar  to  oil  burning,  with  selecting  or  specifying  this  equipment. 

The  Oil  Burner 


The  most  modern  and  satisfactory  type  of  oil 
burner  is  that  which  is  fully  automatic,  combining 
mechanical  fuel  atomization  and  electric  ignition. 
The  oil  should  be  completely  atomized  and  inti- 
matel}^  mixed  with  air  for  combustion.  The 
burner  should  be  furnished  with  the  proper  sized 
nozzle  to  supply  oil  for  combustion  to  the  full 
capacity  of  the  boiler.  The  combustion  should 
be  positively  controlled  in  its  operation  so  that  if 
anything  occurs  to  affect  the  safe  operation  of  the 
burner  the  burner  will  stop  immediately  and  not 
operate  again  until  manually  re-started. 

The  control  should  be  vested  in  an  unfailing  me¬ 
chanism  built  as  a  unit  with  the  burner.  It  should 
be  self-adjusting  to  the  conditions  of  the  installa¬ 
tion  and  not  affected  by  room  temperature.  This 
control  should  render  the  oil  burning  installation 
safe  under  the  conditions  mentioned  under  the 
heading  Master  Control. 

1  he  oil  pump  should  also  be  integral  with  the 
burner,  and  should  be  constructed  to  handle 
oil  of  any  gravity  between  28°  and  45°  Baume 
for  the  full  capacity  of  the  burner.  It  should 
lift  oil  directly  from  underground  tank  without 
auxiliary  equipment. 

1  he  burner  should  have  the  following  regulating 
devices:  (I)  A  pressure-regulating  valve  in  con¬ 
junction  with  the  pump,  so  that  the  supply  of  oil 
to  the  nozzle  may  be  carefully  regulated  to  suit  the 
combustion  requirements  of  the  boiler.  (2)  An 
electrically  operated  thermostat  as  recommended 
by  the  manufacturer,  with  the  necessary  connec¬ 


tions  to  make  it  a  part  of  the  complete  control 
system.  (3)  A  boiler  or  furnace  control  of  design 
recommended  by  the  manufacturer  for  the  par¬ 
ticular  type  of  boiler  or  furnace  used.  This  con¬ 
trol  should  be  properly  wired  and  connected  so  it 
will  be  an  efficiently  operating  part  of  the  complete 
control  system. 

The  burner  should  be  of  a  design  that  can  be  ap¬ 
plied  to  any  type  of  heating  plant  such  as  steam, 
hot  water,  hot  air  or  vapor.  The  operating  cost 
of  an  oil  burner  will  vary  to  some  extent  according 
to  the  individual  installation — being  affected  by 
the  type  of  heating  plant,  amount  of  heat  required 
by  the  building’s  occupants,  the  length  of  heating 
season,  and  other  factors.  But  the  design  of  the 
burner  plays  an  important  part  in  operating  costs. 
(See  detailed  discussion  of  operating  costs,  page 
14.) 

Good  materials  are  also  essential  for  the  satisfac¬ 
tory  oil  burner.  Nichrome  alloy,  pure  nickel, 
semi-steel,  monel  metal,  and  brass  are  more  ex¬ 
pensive  than  substitutes;  but  the  use  of  such 
metals  for  certain  parts  of  a  burner  adds  much  to 
its  lasting  quality.  Laboratory  tests  alone  are 
not  enough  to  prove  the  best  materials  for  use  in 
oil  burner  construction.  The  durability  of  a 
burner  should  be  judged  by  the  known  results  of  its 
use  in  actual  operation  over  a  period  of  years. 
Oil  burners  are  no  longer  a  “new  thing.”  The 
best  makes  have  been  on  the  market  a  number 
of  years,  proving  their  durability  by  3^ears  of  satis¬ 
factory  service. 


Boilers  for  Oil-fired  Heating  Plants 


All  types  of  boilers  are  suited  to  oil  burner  installa¬ 
tions,  4'he  use  of  oil  fuels  usually"  increases  the 
efficiency  of  the  installation  over  that  obtainable 
with  coal. 

4'he  development  of  boilers  designed  for  oil  firing 
is  progressing  rapidly — so  rapidly  that  the  litera¬ 
ture  on  the  subject  is  out  of  date  almost  as  soon  as 


It  appears  in  print.  Consequently  no  attempt  can 
be  made  here  to  describe  the  situation.  Electrol 
dealers  and  heating  engineers  are  continually  in 
touch  with  the  latest  developments  in  the  field  and 
can  be  relied  upon  to  possess  tbe  necessary  in¬ 
formation  to  insure  the  most  modern  heating 
plant  and  the  most  efficient  installations. 

I6| 


In  order  to  obtain  all  the  heat  in  burning  oil,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  the  combustion  chamber  and 
heating  surface  of  the  boiler  so  designed  that  (1) 
the  oil  and  air  may  be  thoroughly  mixed  before 
combustion  takes  place  and  (2)  the  heating  sur¬ 
face  will  be  large  enough  to  allow  for  the  absorp¬ 
tion  of  all  the  heat  resulting  from  combustion. 
Although  an  oil  burner  installation  will  operate  in 
almost  any  type  of  heating  plant  more  efficiently 
than  coal  can  be  burned  in  it,  best  results  are 
obtained  where  ample  combustion  space  is  avail¬ 
able  and  the  heat-absorbing  surfaces  are  of  suffi¬ 
cient  area. 

Warm  Air  Furnaces 

Oil  burners  have  been  successfully  installed  in 
any  type  of  warm  air  furnace  wherever  the  firebox 
can  be  made  absolutely  gas-tight,  so  that  the 
products  of  combustion  will  not  leak  into  the  hot¬ 
air  space  and  thence  into  the  living  quarters. 


The  great  flexibility  of  the  oil  burner  is  the  factor 
which  is  responsible  for  the  success  which  has  been 
attained  with  installations  made  in  equipment 
originally  designed  for  coal  firing.  A  skilled  in¬ 
stallation  man,  knowing  the  equipment  with  which 
he  must  work,  can  install  burner  controls  and 
construct  the  combustion  chamber  so  that  the 
heating  plant  will  operate  under  most  favorable 
conditions. 

As  a  general  statement  it  can  be  safely  asserted 
that  an  oil  burner  installation  can  be  made  in  any 
boiler  of  standard  construction  with  assurance  that 
it  will  operate  efficiently. 

Adapted  to  Oil  Firing 

which  of  course  are  the  same  conditions  as  should 
apply  when  coal  is  burned.  Practical  examples  of 
these  installations  may  be  found  in  nearly  every 
community  and  the  testimony  of  their  owners  is 
sufficient  guarantee  of  the  results  rendered. 


Fitting  the  Burner  to  the  Heating  Plant 


Even  where  the  heating  plant  is  especially  designed 
for  operation  with  oil,  there  are  individual  prob¬ 
lems  connected  with  each  installation.  Where 
maximum  efficiency  is  to  be  obtained  from  an  in¬ 
stallation  made  in  a  boiler  originally  designed  for 
coal,  the  problems  are  great  enough  to  require  the 
high  degree  of  skill  which  can  only  come  from  wide 
experience  in  this  work. 

In  order  to  properly  fit  the  burner  to  the  heating 
plant,  the  engineer  in  charge  of  the  installation 
must  first  of  all  select  the  right  sized  burner  for 
the  heating  plant.  Then  he  must  see  that  the 
proper  controls  are  specified  and  correctly  installed. 
The  proper  construction  of  the  fire-brick  combus¬ 
tion  chamber  is  vital  if  complete  combustion  is 
to  be  obtained  before  the  gases  pass  over  the 
heating  surface.  Furthermore,  the  draft  condi¬ 
tions  must  be  studied  in  order  to  see  whether  or 
not  the  introduction  of  a  damper  m  the  flue  is 
advisable  (see  Underwriters’  Rules,  page  23). 
Even  with  a  damper  installed  the  rate  of  gas 
travel  may  be  too  great  to  allow  proper  transfer 
of  heat  to  the  heating  surfaces.  This  must  be 
determined  and  the  condition  corrected  by  the 
introduction  of  secondary  baffles.  Furthermore, 
the  infiltration  of  secondary  air  must  be  pre¬ 
vented  by  stopping  up  all  cracks  between  boiler 
sections,  under  the  base  or  in  the  insulation.  Air 
leaks  that  ma}^  occur  here  are  often  responsible 
not  only  for  lowered  operating  efficiency  but  for 
noisy  operation. 


After  the  installation  has  been  completed  the 
installation  engineer  must  see  that  the  proper 
ratio  between  air  and  oil  is  obtained  when  the 
burner  operates,  and  if  rate  of  oil  consumption  is 
too  high  it  should  be  checked  by  flue  gas  analysis 
to  see  that  the  right  amount  of  CO2  is  present  in 
these  gases.  The  temperature  of  flue  gases  should 
be  checked  to  determine  if  they  are  not  too  high. 
Much  heat  can  be  lost  if  the  flue  gases  are  per¬ 
mitted  to  escape  at  too  high  a  temperature. 

Chimneys 

In  new  buildings  where  oil  is  to  be  used,  it  is  usually 
advisable  to  design  the  chimney  as  if  hard  coal 
were  to  be  used  in  the  boiler.  This  will  give  ample 
facilities  for  carrying  away  flue  gases. 

When  an  oil  burner  is  to  be  installed  in  an  old  flue 
that  has  been  used  for  coal,  it  is  seldom  necessary 
to  alter  the  flue;  only  be  sure  there  are  no  stop¬ 
pages,  and  that  the  flue  is  swept  clean.  It  is  a 
well-known  fact  that  a  stack  capacity  inadequate 
for  coal  may  prove  ample  for  oil  burning.  If  any 
question  arises  regarding  flue  capacity,  it  would 
be  well  to  refer  to  handbooks  on  the  subject, 
check  over  the  design  and  rebuild  according  to 
the  latest  regulations,  if  necessary. 

Wherever  possible  the  installation  should  be  so 
planned  that  the  oil-fired  heating  system  has  a 
separate  flue  with  no  other  openings  in  it.  If  this 
is  impossible  special  study  should  be  given  to  local 
ordinances  and  the  Underwriters’  Rules. 


171 


Ventilation  of  Boiler  Room 

It  is  quite  essential  to  have  air  (oxygen)  for  com¬ 
bustion  of  any  material.  It  is  therefore  quite  neces¬ 
sary  that  an  oil  burner  installation  should  allow  for 
a  sufficient  supply  of  air  to  properly  burn  the  oil. 
The  Undeiwriters’  Rules  (page  23)  are  quite 
specific  regarding  this  matter  and  care  should  be 
taken  in  planning  the  installation  to  see  that  all 
requirements  are  fully  complied  with. 

Storage  Tanks 

Storage  tanks  are  of  two  general  types — those 
designed  for  installation  within  the  building  and 
those  designed  for  installation  underground. 

The  Underwriters  limit  exposed  basement  tanks  to 
275-gallon  capacity  (see  Rules,  page  23).  Outside 
underground  tank  capacities  are  not  limited. 
However  the  Underwriters’  Rules  indicate  the  posi¬ 
tion  of  each  size  of  tank  relative  to  buildings. 

In  case  oil  can  be  readily  obtained,  basement  tank 
installations  are  thoroughly  practical.  Since  the 
cost  for  an  inside  tank  and  installation  is  con¬ 
siderably  less  than  for  underground  tank  instal¬ 
lations,  It  IS  possible  m  many  cases  to  reduce 
materially  the  total  cost  of  an  oil  burner  outfit. 
Oil  will  cost  more  in  small  deliveries  and  the 
owner  must  watch  the  supply  closely  to  avoid  run¬ 
ning  out  of  oil. 

The  drawings  on  page  9  give  the  dimensions  of 
the  tanks  usually  employed.  Where  tank  capaci¬ 
ties  exceeding  275  gallons  are  advisable,  an  under¬ 
ground  tank  must  be  used.  I'he  location  selected 


should  be  as  close  to  the  building  wall  as  the 
nature  of  subsoil  and  foundations  will  allow  (see 
page  23,  Underwriters’  Rules).  The  fill  pipe 
should  be  run  out  to  a  point  near  the  curb,  so 
that  the  tank  wagon  need  not  come  up  the  drive. 
The  necessary  excavation  is  usually  simple,  par¬ 
ticularly  where  an  installation  in  a  new  build¬ 
ing  is  concerned.  However,  competent  dealers  are 
equipped  to  cope  with  any  situation  that  may 
arise,  from  excavation  in  rock,  quicksand,  water, 
etc.,  to  removal  and  replacement  of  turf  with  no 
injury  to  a  lawn  or  danger  of  subsequent  settling. 
Buried  tank  installations  should  be  made  with 
every  precaution  to  make  them  last  as  long  as 
possible.  Tanks  should  be  protected  against 
corrosion,  preferably  by  use  of  asphalt  paint. 
This  is  usually  a  matter  of  routine  on  the  part  of 
dealers,  but  in  any  case  it  is  a  safeguard  that 
should  be  insisted  upon. 

Where  outside  storage  tanks  have  to  be  installed 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  building,  special 
means  for  pumping  the  oil  may  be  necessaiy. 

Multiple  Installations 

The  installation  of  two  oil  burners  in  one  furnace 
is  permissible,  provided  each  burner  has  its  own 
safety  device. 

For  installation  of  burners  in  a  group  of  boilers,  it 
IS  recommended  that  a  switching  device  be  pro¬ 
vided  which  will  cut  in  an  additional  boiler  as  the 
outside  temperature  drops.  Electrol  Engineers 
are  experienced  in  these  installations  and  will 
gladly  provide  data  covering  any  specific  project. 


Piping  and  Valves 


Gejieral  Specifications — Wrought  iron  or  brass  pipe 
should  be  used  for  all  oil  lines.  Galvanized  pipe 
for  oil  lines  IS  unsatisfactory  because  of  scaling. 
For  the  vent  pipe  galvanized  is  recommended. 

\  alves  and  fittings  should  be  the  best  obtainable, 
sufficiently  rugged  to  stand  jarring.  Shut-off 
valves,  if  used,  should  have  a  good  packing  gland, 
in  order  to  be  sure  that  no  leakage  occurs  here. 
Sizes — Pipe  for  suction  and  return  lines  should  be 
of  the  same  size.  The  following  sizes  should  be 
specified  according  to  the  installation: 

Electric 

All  electric  wiring  for  oil  burner  use  must  be  in¬ 
stalled  according  to  the  National  Electrical  Code 
and  any  local  ordinances.  It  is  suggested  that  for 
small  and  medium  sized  burners  a  supply  outlet 
capable  ol  providing  not  less  than  250  watts  be 


Eor  275  gallon,  inside  tank,  ^  inch  pipe. 

Eor  1,000  gallon  or  larger  tank  underground  in¬ 
stallation,  %  inch  from  tank  to  building  wall; 
3^2  inch  from  wall  to  burner.  Where  the  location 
of  the  tank  is  50  feet  or  more  from  the  wa  11,  M 
inch  pipe  should  be  used  from  the  wall  to  the 
burner. 

Swivel  Jomts — Where  suction,  return,  vent  and  fill 
pipes  emerge  from  underground  tank,  swivel  joints 
should  be  installed  as  a  safeguard  against  leakage 
in  the  pipe  caused  by  settling  of  tank. 

Wiring 

located  in  an  approved  position  near  the  oil  burner 
installation.  Eor  the  largest  models  an  outlet 
must  be  provided  capable  of  supplying  660  watts. 
All  electrical  work  should  be  done  by  a  competent 
electrician. 


Tanks:—  Types  and  Specifications 


The  square  tank  is  a  type  that  is 
used  in  the  basement,  and  is  de¬ 
signed  to  go  readily  through  the 
majority  of  basement  entrances. 
While  it  is  practical  in  a  great 
many  instances,  it  does  not  have 
the  strength  that  is  found  in  the 
round  tank.  A  round  tank  is  not 
recommended,  as  a  250  gallon  tank 
of  this  type  will  not  go  through 
many  basement  entrances. 


The  illustration  at  left  is  of  an 
underground  tank.  This  type  is 
used  for  a  sub-gravity  installation. 
The  sketch  gives  the  number  and 
size  of  openings  required. 

Note:  Manholes  are  not  sup¬ 
plied  in  stock  tanks  under  2,000 
gallons’  capacity.  (See  Under¬ 
writers’  Rules.)  Consult  local 
ordinance  on  this  subject. 


The  obround  tank  is  one  which 
has  been  designed  for  oil  burner 
use.  It  has  the  flexibility  of  the 
square  tank  but  on  account  of  its 
shape  is  very  rigid  and  will  readily 
pass  through  the  average  door¬ 
way.  This  type  is  recommended 
for  inside  tank  installations 
where  it  is  preferred  to  have  the 
tank  installed  in  the  basement  of 
the  home,  instead  of  underground 
in  the  yard. 


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OBeOUND  BBSBMENT  7?iNk: 

CB}RF)C/7y 

A 

B 

C 

PLflTE  THiCPNE66 

4.2" 

<2,0" 

Controls 


1.  Thermostats — All  automatic  oil  burner  systems 
should  have  a  room  thermostat  to  control  operation 
and  insure  the  maintenance  of  the  desired  tem¬ 
perature.  A  description  of  the  thermostats  used 
with  the  Electrol  burner  appears  on  page  20. 

2.  Steam  System  Controls — In  addition  to  a  thermo¬ 
stat,  a  steam  system  should  be  provided  with  an  au¬ 
tomatic  regulator  (pressurestat),  which  will  shut 
down  the  burner  whenever  the  pressure  in  the  boiler 
rises  aboveapre-determined  point  (see  cut, page  11). 

3.  Vapor  System  Controls — A  type  of  pressurestat 
adjusted  to  work  at  pressures  below  atmospheric  is 
provided  to  control  the  operation  of  this  system 
(see  cut,  page  11). 

4.  Hot  W^ater  Controls — Hot  water  systems  are 
controlled  by  a  hydrostat  attached  to  a  riser  as 
close  to  the  boiler  as  possible.  The  hydrostat 
operates  to  shut  off  the  burner  when  the  tem¬ 
perature  of  the  water  rises  above  the  temperature 
for  which  the  hydrostat  is  set,  regardless  of  the 
action  of  the  room  thermostat  (see  cut,  page  11). 

5.  Warm  Air  Furnace  Controls — The  warm  air  fur¬ 
nace  control  operates  to  shut  off  the  burner  when 
the  temperature  m  the  hood  rises  above  a  predeter¬ 
mined  figure,  usually  250-300°  (see  cut,  page  11). 

6.  Low  Water  Cut-off — The  use  of  a  low  water 
cut-oft  is  an  additional  safeguard  recommended  for 
steam  and  vapor  systems.  The  cut-off  operates 
to  shut  down  the  burner  if  the  water  level  in  the 
boiler  should  drop  below  a  fixed  level.  The  low 
water  cut-off  and  pressurestat  may  be  intercon¬ 
nected  and  operated  as  a  duplex  switch  (see  cut). 


7.  Boiler  Feed  Controls — Several  companies  make 
automatic  boiler  feeders  which  will  maintain  the 
boiler  water  at  a  constant  level.  Where  the  city 
water  pressure  is  greater  than  the  pressure  main¬ 
tained  in  the  boiler,  a  boiler  feeder  may  be  used 
(see  Undemriters’  Rules).  However,  a  closed 
system  with  no  steam  leaks  rarely  requires  this 
type  of  control. 

8.  Domestic  Hot  Water  Control — See  page  12  for 
discussion  of  control  device  necessary  for  control 
of  the  oil  burner  when  it  is  used  to  provide  domes¬ 
tic  hot  water  indirectly. 

9.  Oil  Line  Controls  and  Accessories — The  installa¬ 
tion  of  an  anti-siphon  valve  in  the  oil  line  in  order 
to  prevent  flooding  in  case  of  a  broken  pipe  is 
mandatory  if  the  tank  is  installed  above  the  level 
of  the  burner.  The  inside  275-gallon  tank  feeding 
a  burner  by  gravity  is  an  exception  to  the  rule. 
Various  approved  types  of  anti-siphon  valves  are 
now  on  the  market,  and  one  of  them  should  be 
included  in  the  proposal  covering  the  installation, 
if  the  tank  is  above  the  burner. 

Fuel  oil  gauges  are  not  compulsory,  but  they  are  a 
great  convenience  to  the  owner  of  the  heating 
plant.  There  is  generally  an  extra  charge  made 
for  installing  an  oil  gauge.  Their  use  is  recom¬ 
mended  if  the  owner  does  not  wish  to  gauge  the 
tank  periodically  by  means  of  the  measuring  stick 
ordinarily  provided. 

The  installation  of  a  “purolator”  is  also  recom¬ 
mended  as  a  mam  filtering  device,  to  clean  the  oil 
as  much  as  possible  before  it  is  bandied  by  the 
burner. 


Thermostats  Recommended  for  Electrol  Installations 


M  inneapolis-II  oneywell  plain  M  inneapolis  Honeywell  Model  7710, 

Thermostat,  low  voltage,  manually  low  voltage,  with  clock,  for  automatic 

set  for  constant  temperature.  temperature  changes  as  set. 


Mercoid  high  voltage  thermostat. 
Controls  burner  direct  without  a 
relay.  Manually  set. 


Furnace  and  Boiler  Controls  Recommended  for  Electrol  Installations 


Warm  Air  Furnace  Control. 


Duplex 

Mercoid  Control. 
Combination  Pressure 
Control  and  Low 
Water  Cut-off. 


I  111 


The  Part  the  Dealer  Plays 


No  basis  for  the  selection  of  an  oil  burner  is  sound 
if  one  fails  to  give  consideration  to  the  dealer  from 
whom  the  equipment  is  bought  and  by  whom  the 
installation  is  made.  For  it  has  been  rightly  said 
that  no  oil  burner  installation  is  better  than  the 
dealer  who  installs  it. 

Present  installation  practice  makes  the  oil  burner 
dealer  responsible  either  as  principal  or  sub¬ 
contractor  for  all  equipment  required  lor  the  opera¬ 
tion  of  the  oil  burner,  for  the  installation  of  the 
equipment  and  for  any  servicing  that  may  be  re¬ 
quired  during  the  life  of  the  burner.  (For  full 
details  of  installation  requirements  see  complete 
specifications  on  page  22). 

In  order  to  make  sure  that  the  owner  will  receive 
the  kind  of  heating  service  that  he  has  a  right  to 
expect  from  his  oil  burner,  the  dealer  who  installs 
it  must  possess  the  following  qualifications: 


1.  A  good  grasp  of  the  principles  employed  in  the 
various  types  and  makes  of  boilers  and  heating 
systems. 

2.  A  complete  knowledge  of  the  application  of  the 
burner  he  sells  to  the  type  of  heating  plant  which 
It  IS  to  operate. 

3.  Knowledge  of  the  latest  approved  methods  of 
burner  installation. 

4.  A  knowledge  of  the  different  grades  and  kinds 
of  fuel  oil  and  their  adaptability  to  the  equipment. 

5.  An  appreciation  of  the  necessity  of  maintaining 
the  burner  in  perfect  operating  condition  at  all 
times. 

6.  Sufficient  business  ability  and  financial  respon¬ 
sibility  to  give  every  expectation  that  the 
service  *  facilities  which  he  now  offers  will  be 
maintained. 


Supplementary  Uses  for  tlie  Oil  Burner 


The  Domestic  Hot  Water  Supply 

Indirect  JVater  Heaters — The  oil  burner  may  be 
advantageously  used  for  economical  heating  of 
domestic  hot  water,  during  the  summer  months  as 
well  as  in  winter.  In  the  steam  or  vapor  boiler 
the  installation  is  simple,  requiring  only  the  addi¬ 
tion  of  an  oversize*  indirect  water  heater  and  a 
boiler  thermostat,  ordinarily  called  a  hydrostat, 
which  IS  set  at  a  predetermined  temperature  of 
about  190  degrees  and  so  connected  to  the  burner 
that  the  boiler  water  temperature  is  maintained 
at  that  point.  This  boiler  thermostat  works 
independently  of  the  room  thermostat  to  maintain 
only  the  proper  temperature  of  the  boiler  water  to 
supply  sufficient  heat  for  domestic  hot  water. 
When  heat  is  required  the  room  thermostat  will, 
of  course,  control  the  burner. 

In  the  case  of  a  hot  water  boiler  a  slightly  different 
application  of  the  same  method  is  used.  The 
oversize  indirect  water  heater  is  connected  in 
practically  the  same  manner.  The  burner  in  this 
case,  however,  is  controlled  exclusively  by  the 
boiler  thermostat.  When  heat  is  needed  in  the 
house  the  room  thermostat  starts  a  separate  con¬ 
trol  motor  which  is  connected  to  quick-closing 
valves  installed  m  each  riser.  When  the  desired 
temperature  is  reached  in  the  house  the  separate 
motor  closes  the  valves  and  the  circulation  stops. 

*  Oversize  heating  coils  are  recommended  because  of  the  intermittent 
operation  of  the  oil  burner  and  because  most  manufacturers’  ratings 
are  based  upon  steam  temperatures. 


The  constant  maintenance  of  the  boiler  water  at  ap¬ 
proximately  190° — a  condition  essential  to  obtain¬ 
ing  proper  temperature  of  domestic  hot  water — 
IS  of  real  advantage  m  the  operation  of  the  heating 
plant.  For  circulation  of  hot  water  begins  immedi¬ 
ately  upon  the  opening  of  the  valves  in  the  risers. 
For  entirely  satisfactory  operation  under  all  con¬ 
ditions,  the  boiler,  whether  steam  or  hot  water. 


FAectrol  Installed  in  Steam  Furnace 


should  have  a  capacity  slightly  exceeding  that 
required  for  maximum  requirements  of  the  stand¬ 
ing  radiation.  Some  boiler  companies  desire  two 
square  feet  additional  boiler  rating  for  each  gallon 
of  hot  water  heated  per  hour. 

Experience  of  users  has  shown  that  economy  of 
operation  is  effected  by  indirect  heating  of  domes¬ 
tic  water  by  oil  in  comparison  with  the  cost  of 
heating  the  same  water  by  gas.  The  cost  of  in¬ 
stallation  is  extremely  moderate  in  cases  where 
a  hot  water  storage  tank  is  already  in  use. 

During  the  winter  heating  season  there  is  but 
slight  expense  for  hot  water  service.  In  summer, 
th  e  very  limited  operation  of  the  oil  burner  to 
provide  hot  water  is  inexpensive.  Furthermore, 
the  use  of  the  burner  during  the  summer  months 
keeps  both  burner  and  boiler  in  good  operating 
condition.  When  a  burner  is  in  constant  use  as  a 
source  of  domestic  hot  water,  a  sudden  cold  snap 
will  put  the  room  thermostat  in  action  and  thus 
provide  heat  without  attention  from  the  owner. 

b.  Direct  Method  of  Heating  Domestic  Water — 
When  the  hot  water  requirements  exceed  400-500 
gallons  per  day,  the  indirect  method  is  not  recom¬ 
mended,  because  it  would  require  an  excessively 
large  boiler  to  handle  the  load.  A  separate  tank 
heater  should  be  installed. 

In  many  cases  a  small  sized  oil  burner  placed  in  tbe 
tank  heater  can  be  used  to  heat  domestic  water  at 
a  considerable  saving  in  fuel  expense.  The  in¬ 
stallation  cost  IS  low  since  no  additional  fuel  tanks 
are  needed.  A  hydrostat  connected  to  the  storage 
tank  makes  operation  entirely  automatic.  This 
control  will  operate  winter  and  summer  to  turn  the 
oil  burner  on  and  off  as  hot  water  is  required. 

For  most  satisfactory  operation  the  tank  heater 
should  have  at  least  a  16-inch  diameter  grate. 


Garbage  Incineration 

1  he  intense  heat  of  the  flame  from  an  oil  burner 
IS  ideal  for  incinerator  operation.  Complete  com¬ 
bustion  IS  assured  and  smoke  and  odor  are  virtu¬ 
ally  eliminated. 

Some  incinerators  are  designed  to  burn  up  the 
garbage  and  utilize  the  heat  given  off  for  domestic 
hot  water.  For  installations  of  this  type,  the  oil 
burner  operation  should  be  controlled  by  the  tem¬ 
perature  of  the  domestic  hot  water.  A  hydrostat 
connected  to  the  storage  tank  will  make  the  opera¬ 
tion  entirely  automatic. 

When  incineration  is  conducted  in  a  specially  con¬ 
structed  furnace,  using  an  oil  burner  for  the  heat, 
the  burner  should  be  controlled  manually  or  by 
means  of  a  furnace  control  described  herein 
(page  10,  Controls). 

Even  where  the  furnace  control  is  used,  it  is  ad¬ 
visable  to  have  an  attendant  on  hand  to  turn  off 
the  burner  when  incineration  is  completed. 


Electrol  Installed  in  Dicinerator 


Fuel  for  Automatic  Oil  Burners 


Fuel  oil  requirements  for  automatic  oil  burners  are 
covered  by  the  oil  trade  classification  as  distillates 
— ordinarily  called  gas  oil  and  light  fuel  oil.  Un¬ 
fortunately,  these  terms  have  been  rather  loosely 
applied  and  there  has  been  considerable  confusion 
among  oil  burner  dealers,  fuel  oil  dealers  and  the 
general  public  regarding  them. 

In  order  to  clear  up  this  confusion  and  establish  a 
standard  method  of  grading  oils  used  in  automatic 
oil  burners,  specifications  covering  them  have  been 
drawn  up  by  the  technical  committee  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Oil  Burner  Association,  with  the  assistance  of 


the  American  Petroleum  Institute  and  of  the  Amer¬ 
ican  Society  for  Testing  Materials.  These  spec- 
-ifications  have  been  adopted  by  the  Underwriters’ 
Laboratories  and  are  recognized  by  oil  burner 
manufacturers  and  the  leading  oil  companies. 
Under  the  classification  thus  established  there  are 
three  grades  of  fuel  oil  which  cover  all  requirements 
of  burners  of  the  automatic  class  with  which  we 
are  concerned.  These  grades  are  the  following: 

No.  1  Furnace  oil — Light  (36°M:0°  Be.) 

No.  2  Furnace  oil — Medium  (32°-36°  Be.) 

No.  3  Furnace  oil — Heavy  (28°-32°  Be.) 


Three  additional  grades,  light,  medium  and  heavy 
fuel  oil,  have  also  been  established,  but  they  are 
not  adaptable  for  use  in  automatic  oil  burners. 
Nos.  1,  2  and  3,  light,  medium  and  heavy  fur¬ 
nace  oil,  are  the  oil  fuels  which  are  almost  univer¬ 
sally  used  in  automatic  oil  heating  plants.  All  of 
the  larger  producers  and  distributors  are  in  a  posi¬ 
tion  to  make  regular  deliveries  of  these  grades  of 
oil  in  every  section  of  the  country.  The  owner  ol 
an  oil  burner  installation  which  is  specified  to 
operate  with  these  grades  need  have  no  fears  con¬ 
cerning  oil  supply. 

The  Underwriters’  Laboratories,  in  setting  the  seal 
of  approval  on  an  oil  burner,  specify  the  grade  of 
fuel  oil  which  should  be  used.  Owners  of  heating 
plants  should  be  cautioned  to  adhere  to  the  grades 
which  fall  within  the  limits  specified.  So  long  as 
the  specified  grade  is  used  there  will  be  no  increase 
in  insurance  rate. 

So  far  as  the  future  supply  of  fuel  oil  is  concerned, 
there  is  nothing  to  fear.  Mr.  Frank  Howard  of 
The  Standard  Development  Company  recently 
stated  that  the  supply  of  petroleum  is  now  as 

The  Cost  of 

a.  histaUatio7i  Cost — The  cost  of  the  oil  burner  is 
only  a  small  part  of  the  items  that  make  up  an 
oil  heating  installation.  The  other  principal  items 
of  expense  are  tank,  controls,  and  other  accessories, 
piping,  wiring,  excavation,  alterations  to  heating 
plant  necessary  in  order  to  fit  the  burner  to  the 
boiler,  together  with  the  expert  mechanical  labor 
required  for  installation.  (See  specifications  page 
22  for  full  details.) 

It  is  apparent  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  in¬ 
vestment  must  be  expended  in  these  additional 
items  and  in  work  done  upon  the  owner’s  premises. 
Even  the  legal  requirements  for  certain  elements 
of  the  installation  vary  in  different  parts  of  the 
country.  There  are  also  variations  in  the  cost  of 
labor.  Consequently  it  is  impossible  for  a  manu¬ 
facturer  to  establish  a  definite  installation  price 
which  can  be  maintained  over  a  wide  territory. 

Most  manufacturers  prefer  to  quote  on  jobs  only 
through  their  dealers.  These  local  representa¬ 
tives  are  able  to  submit  definite  quotations  or 
proposals  at  short  notice  and  can  be  freely  con¬ 
sulted  at  any  time. 

b.  Comparative  Fuel  Costs — ^The  most  recent 
and  in  our  opinion  the  most  authoritative  data 
on  comparative  costs  of  various  fuels  have  been 
published  hy  the  American  Oil  Burner  Association, 


assured  as  the  supply  of  an}^  other  of  our  raw 
materials.  Petroleum  can  now  be  produced  in 
any  quantity  desired  by  opening  wells  already 
drilled  but  shut  off  during  the  period  of  over¬ 
production. 

Mr.  Walter  Teagle,  president  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company  of  New  Jersey,  recently  wrote: 

“I  have  full  faith  in  the  ability  of  the  oil  industry 
to  meet  the  growing  demand  for  oil  for  domestic 
heating  purposes.  The  experience  of  the  last 
generation  plus  the  best  forecast  which  science  can 
make  for  the  coming  generation  justifies  such  faith. 

“The  modern  domestic  oil  burner  gives  a  kind  of 
household  heating  service  which  gas  alone  has 
supplied  in  the  past,  and  in  the  country  as  a  whole 
it  gives  that  service  cheaper.  In  my  opinion,  oil 
heating  will  not  only  supplant  gas,  which  is  its 
present  sole  competitor,  but,  like  the  gasoline 
automobile,  establish  a  new  standard  of  American 
home  life  and  fix  a  level  of  comfort  and  convenience 
never  before  attained  by  any  civilization,  and  at  a 
price  well  below  the  limit  of  its  economic  value  for 
that  use.” 

Oil  Heating 

Inc.,  in  the  “Handbook  of  Domestic  Oil  Heating.” 

The  following  paragraphs  quoted  from  the  book 
are  reprinted  here  by  permission  of  the  Associa¬ 
tion.  Unfortunately,  space  permits  but  brief 
extracts.  We  believe  that  the  book  will  repay 
study  by  anyone  interested  in  oil  heating  installa¬ 
tions. 

Regarding  comparative  fuel  costs,  the  Handbook 
says,  in  part:  “Comparative  fuel  costs  are  at  the 
best  estimates  of  performance  based  partialU  upon 
known  factors  and  partially  on  assumed  factors 
that  are  supposed  to  represent  average  conditions. 
Cost  comparisons  are  worthless  unless  accompanied 
by  complete  information  as  to  the  known  factors 
and  the  assumed  factors.  The  known  factors  are 
the  cost  per  unit  which  may  be  pounds,  gallons, 
cubic  feet  or  kilowatt  hours,  the  heat  content  per 
unit.  The  assumed  factor  is  the  efficiency  with 
which  the  heat  content  of  the  fuel  can  be  utilized. 

‘‘Cost  of  Fuel — Coal  is  usually  sold  by  the  short 
ton  or  2,000  pounds,  although  in  some  cases  the 
long  ton  of  2,240  pounds  is  used.  Oil  is  sold  by 
the  gallon,  gas  by  the  thousand  cubic  feet  and 
electricity  by  the  kilowatt  hour.  Regardless  of 
which  fuel  is  used  the  heat  output  would  be  mea¬ 
sured  in  B.t.u.,  consequently  we  must  convert 
these  units  of  measure  to  the  B.t.u.  basis.  In 


order  to  do  this  we  must  have  some  information 
as  to  the  heat  content  of  various  fuels.  The  fol¬ 
lowing  Table  27  gives  average  figures  for  the  heat 
content  of  various  fuels: 


TABLE  27 


Heating  Value  of  Various  Fuels 

FUEL  B.T.U. 

Oils: 

Fuel  Oil,  Medium . 149,000  per  gallon 

Furnace  Oil,  Heavy . 141,000  “  “ 

Furnace  Oil,  Medium . 138,500  “  “ 

Furnace  Oil,  Light . 136,000  “  “ 


Gases; 

Natural,  California.  .  . 
Natural,  Oklahoma.  . 
Natural,  Pittsburgh .  . 

Coal  gas . 

Coke-oven  gas . 

Carbureted  water  gas . 


850  per  cubic  foot 
975  “  “  “ 

nyr  n  n  a 

650  “  “  “ 

600  “  “  “ 

575  “  “  “ 


Coals,  Anthracite  (as  received) 
Broken . 

Egg . 

Stove . 

Nut . 

Pea . 

Buckwheat . 

Coals,  Bituminous  (as  received) 

Kentucky  cannel . 

Pennsylvania . 

Oklahoma . 

Ohio . 

Illinois . 

Indiana . 

Electricity 

1  Kilowatt  hour . 


12,800  per  pound 

12.650  “ 

12,600  “ 

12,350  “ 

12,150  “ 

11,400  “ 

13.750  “ 

13,500  “ 

13.500  “ 

12.750  “ 

11.650  “ 

11.500  “ 

3,415 


“Fuel  Equivalent  on  Heat  Co?itent  Basis — Fre¬ 
quently  fuels  are  compared  on  a  heat  content  basis : 
for  example,  it  might  be  said  that  a  gallon  of  oil 
is  equivalent  to  so  many  pounds  of  coal  or  to  a 
certain  number  of  cubic  feet  of  gas.  For  example, 
It  is  desired  to  know  how  many  gallons  of  Furnace 
Oil — Medium  would  have  the  same  heat  content 
as  a  ton  of  anthracite  stove  coal.  One  ton  of 
anthracite  stove  coal  would  contain  2,000  x  12,600 
— 25,200,000  B.t.u.  If  we  divide  this  figure  by 
138,500  the  number  of  B.t.u.’s  in  a  gallon  of  Fur¬ 
nace  Oil — Medium,  we  find  that  it  would  require 
182  gallons  of  oil.  This  figure  is  a  true  comparison 
of  the  heat  content  of  the  two  fuels,  but  is  not  a 
reliable  index  to  the  comparative  cost  as  it  does 
not  take  into  consideration  the  efficiency  with 
which  the  fuel  is  consumed.  The  efficiency  is  the 
measure  of  the  amount  of  heat  that  is  taken  from 
the  fuel  for  useful  work  as  compared  to  the  total 
heat  content  of  the  fuel. 


In  some  instances,  conditions  will  be  such  that  the 
increase  will  be  much  greater  and  in  others  where 
It  will  be  less.  A  boiler,  being  operated  at  a  very 
light  load  or  excessive  overload  will  not  be  as 
efficient  as  when  operated  near  its  rated  capacit}^ 
“The  average  efficiency  for  oil  burners  installed  in 
existing  systems  is  between  60%-65%;  when  in¬ 
stalled  in  specially  designed  boilers  this  figure  will 
be  between  70%— 75%.  The  efficiency  of  the  aver¬ 
age  coal  burning  system  is  approximately  50%. 
The  average  with  gas  in  specially  designed  boilers 
is  70%-80%  and  in  converted  coal  burning  sys¬ 
tems  is  50%-60%. 

“Estimating  Comparative  Fuel  Consumption — 
When  attempting  to  make  an  estimate  as  to  the 
comparative  consumption  of  two  fuels  in  a  given 
installation,  it  is  desirable  to  have  as  much  accu¬ 
rate  information  available  as  is  possible.  For  ex¬ 
ample,  if  we  have  an  installation  in  which  the 
average  coal  consumption  is  45  tons  per  season, 
using  anthracite  nut  coal:  Referring  to  Table  27 
we  can  see  that  this  coal  averages  12,350  B.t.u. 
per  pound.  If  the  boiler  and  system  are  in  average 
good  condition,  we  can  assume  an  efficiency  of 
50%.  It  is  desired  to  install  an  oil  heating 
system,  using  Furnace  Oil — Heavy,  which  will 
average  141,000  B.t.u.  per  gallon  and  we  can 
assume  an  efficiency  of  65%.  The  following 
general  formula  gives  the  factors  required  in 
making  this  comparison. 

Let  Xo  =  Gallons  of  oil  required. 

C  =  Number  of  tons  of  coal  used. 

He  =  B.t.u.  per  pound  of  coal. 

Ho  =  B.t.u.  per  gallon  of  oil. 

Ee  =  Efficiency  of  coal  burning  plant. 

Eo  =  Efficiency  of  oil  burning  plant. 

2000  X  C  X  He  X  Ee 

X„  = - - - 

H„  X  E„ 

“Substituting  in  this  equation  the  values  assumed 
for  this  example,  we  have 
2000  X  45  X  12,350  X  .50 

Xo  =  — - - - =  6060  gals.  Furnace  Oil — Heavy. 

141,000  X  .65 

“With  Anthracite  Nut  Coal  at  ^15. 00  per  ton  and 
Furnace  Oil — Heavy  at  8c.  per  gallon  we  have 
the  following  comparative  fuel  cost: 

45x315.00  =  3675.00 
6060x3.08  =  3484.80 


Output  B.t.u.’s  absorbed  by  Boiler 

Efficiency  = -  = - 

Input  B.t.u.’s  in  fuel 

“Furnace  Efficiency — The  only  way  of  determining 
the  efficiency  of  a  given  heating  plant  is  to  make  an 
operating  test.  Under  average  conditions  it  can 
be  assumed  that  the  oil  should  be  burned  with  an 
increased  efficiency  from  10%  to  15%  over  coal. 


Saving  in  Fuel  =  3190.20 
190.20 X 100 

— ^ - =  28%  saving 

675 

“Charts  1  and  2  [page  16]  are  based  on  this 
formula  and  worked  out  one  for  gas,  the  other  for 
coal  in  order  to  make  it  possible  to  obtain  com¬ 
parative  cost  figures  with  a  minimum  of  calcula- 


f  15  1 


GAS  CONSUMPTI  O N  _  PER__SE ASQN  '  TH.Og_^ND^Or  CUBIC  FEET 
Read  Equivalent  Oil  To  Rismt 


0 

r 

n 

o 

z 

(/) 

c 

2 

D 

-I 

5 

z 

I'O 

h 

bo 


m 


io 


r 


D 


iZ 

jCP 


GAS  CONSUMPTION  PER  SEASON  THOUSANDS  OF  CUBIC  FEET 
Re .^o_  Equivauent  Oiu  To  Left 


Chart  2 — Comparative  Gas  and  Oil  Consumption  per  Season 


116] 


tion.  A  chart  of  this  kind  must  be  used  with 
discretion,  making  due  allowance  for  a  higher  or 
lower  value  coal  or  oil. 

“To  use  these  charts,  it  is  assumed  that  the  coal 
or  gas  consumption  per  season  is  known;  for 
example,  900,000  cubic  feet  of  550  B.t.u.  gas. 
Locating  900  on  the  gas  consumption  scale,  follow 
the  vertical  line  to  the  550  B.t.u.  per  cubic  foot 
curve  and  reading  horizontally  to  the  left,  we 
find  that  the  oil  consumption  would  be  approxi¬ 
mately  4,325  gallons. 

“Assuming  a  gas  rate  of  80c.  per  thousand  cubic 

feet,  which  is  lower  than  the  average  for  this 

quality  of  manufactured  city  gas,  and  the  price  of 

8c.  per  gallon  for  Furnace  Oil — Heavy,  we  have 

the  following  comparative  fuel  cost: 

900x^.80  =  3720.00 
4325  X  .08  =  346.00 
Saving  with  oil  =  384.00 

384  x  100  ^  .  ,  . 

- ^2^  =  j3%  saving  with  oil  when  oil  is  replacing  gas. 

If  the  gas  is  figured  to  replace  oil  we  have: 

384x  100  .  ,,  , 

- =  111%  increase  in  cost  ot  fuel. 


“Other  Cost  Factors — There  are  other  factors  which 
enter  into  making  a  complete  cost  comparison 
between  the  two  different  kinds  of  fuel.  In  most 
cases  these  are  all  in  favor  of  oil.  Where  coal  is 
the  competing  fuel,  we  have  additional  charges 
for  ash  handling  and  removal  and  where  a  furnace 
man  is  employed  his  wages  should  be  rightfully 
charged  against  the  cost  of  maintaining  the  heating 
system.  Compared  with  these  charges  against 
coal,  there  is  an  additional  expense  with  motor- 
driven  oil  burners  for  the  current  used  and  also  for 
a  gas  pilot  where  one  is  used.  Under  average 
conditions,  an  allowance  of  3^c.  per  gallon  will 
cover  the  cost  of  operating  the  motor  and  ignition. 
An  allowance  of  Ic.  per  gallon  will  cover  any  but 
exceptional  conditions.  It  can  be  readily  seen 
that  this  figure  will  compare  very  favorably  with 
the  cost  of  a  furnace  man  and  the  cost  of  handling 
and  disposing  of  ashes. 

“Where  gas  is  used,  the  differential  in  fuel  cost  is 
so  great  as  to  make  the  additional  expense  of 
operating  the  motor  and  ignition  a  negligible  one.” 


Range  of  Application  of  Automatic  Oil  Heating  Systems 


The  installation  of  automatic  oil  heating  is  not 
limited  to  certain  classes  of  buildings.  In  fact  it 
is  impossible  to  single  out  any  class  of  building 
and  point  to  it  as  representing  a  heating  problem 
incapable  of  economical  solution  by  means  of  the 
utilization  of  oil  fuel. 

The  reason  for  this  condition  lies  in  the  number 
of  advantages  possessed  by  oil-fired  heating  sys¬ 
tems.  In  a  majority  of  cases  the  reasons  that 
have  led  to  the  installation  of  oil  heat  are  as  varied 
as  the  types  of  buildings  in  which  it  is  used.  For 
automatic  oil  heat  provides  uniform,  healthful 
heat;  it  eliminates  the  necessity  for  personal 
attention  to  the  heating  plant,  thereby  saving 
owner’s  time  or  hired  labor  as  the  case  may  be. 
It  provides  great  economies  in  space  and  makes 
possible  the  use  of  the  basement  as  a  livable  part 
of  the  house.  And  it  operates  so  efficiently  that 
results  are  secured  at  no  greater  expense  than 


would  be  incurred  in  the  operation  of  a  coal-fired 
system. 

It  is  therefore  not  remarkable  that  modern  homes, 
office  buildings,  theatres,  churches,  schools,  hos¬ 
pitals,  hotels  and  apartments  are,  m  rapidly  in¬ 
creasing  numbers,  adopting  oil  heat.  The  list  of 
industrial  uses  for  the  oil  burner  is  also  long,  and 
includes  greenhouses,  tobacco  warehouses,  cream¬ 
eries,  dry  kilns,  etc.,  where  the  heating  require¬ 
ments  are  intermittent,  or  automatic  control  of 
heat  is  peculiarly  advantageous. 

Automatic  oil  burners  are  now  in  satisfactory 
operation  in  heating  plants  up  to  10,000  square 
feet  of  radiation.  There  is  no  reasonable  limit  to 
the  size  of  building  which  can  be  heated  by  multiple 
installations.  Any  building  of  such  design  that  a 
thermostatic  temperature  control  is  satisfactory 
may  logically  have  an  automatic  oil  burner  in¬ 
stalled  in  the  heating  plant. 


The  Electrol  Oil  Burner 

General  Description  of  Electrol  Oil  Burners 

The’ Electrol  Oil  Burner  is  all-electric  and  fully  automatic,  combining  mechanical  fuel  atomization 
and  continuous  electric  ignition.  Suitable  for  domestic  installations  in  homes  of  all  types,  and  for 
commercial  installations  in  apartment  buildings,  churches,  libraries,  theatres,  schools,  banks,  small 
office  buildings,  stores,  bakeries,  greenhouses  and  many  types  of  industrial  application. 


Summary  of  Principal  Features  of  the  Electrol  Oil  Burner 


(1)  Mechanical  draft  supplied  by  a  Sirocco  fan  on  the 
motor  shaft,  fully  automatic,  with  electric  Master 
Control,  built  as  a  unit  with  the  burner. 

(2)  The  exclusive  shell-shaped  air  receiver  produces 
a  rotary  movement  of  the  air,  giving  a  ball  shaped 
flame  that  is  extremely  quiet  and  of  high  efficiency. 

(3)  Listed  to  burn  oil  fuel  not  heavier  than  28  gravity 
(A.  O.  B.  A.  Spec.  No.  3),  also  Diesel  oil  (Pacific 
Coast)  not  heavier  than  25  degrees  Baume  when 
viscosity  is  not  more  than  54  seconds  (Saybolt- 
Universal  at  100  degrees  F.). 

(4)  Oil  delivery  is  accomplished  by  one  pump  directly 
connected  to  the  motor  shaft,  which  serves  the  double 
purpose  of  pumping  oil  from  supply  tank  and  main¬ 
taining  the  proper  pressure  for  atomization. 

(5)  Mechanical  atomization  is  employed.  This  is 


accomplished  by  forcing  the  oil  under  pressure  through 
a  specially  designed  nozzle. 

(6)  The  atomized  oil  is  mixed  with  the  correct  amount 
of  air  for  proper  combustion  and  ignited  by  a  heavy 
spark  produced  by  a  special  step-up  transformer. 

(7)  Flame  adjustments  are  made  at  time  of  instal¬ 
lation  to  meet  requirements  of  boiler  or  furnace. 

(8)  Electrol  automatic  burners  are  installed  in  the 
present  heating  system,  requiring  only  the  removal  of 
the  coal  burning  grates  and  the  building  of  a  combus¬ 
tion  chamber  with  refractory  material  in  the  ash  pit. 

(9)  Electrol  automatic  burners  are  manufactured  in 
three  sizes.  The  Model  TJ,  the  Model  T,  and  the 
Model  TD.  See  page  21  for  capacities. 

(10)  Motor  Sizes:  Model  TJ — 1/6  H.P. 

Model  T  —1/6  H.P. 

Model  TD— 1/3  H.P. 


The  Product  of  a  Pioneer  Organization 


I  he  Electrol  Oil  Burner  is  the  sole  product  manufac¬ 
tured  by  Electrol  Incorporated,  of  St.  Louis —  a  pioneer 
m  the  development  of  automatic  oil  burners. 

4'he  contributions  of  Electrol  engineers  have  not  been 
confined  solely  to  the  Electrol.  For  the  development 


took  place  along  original  lines  and  as  a  result  of  in¬ 
tensive  experimental  work  Electrol  engineers  are  re¬ 
sponsible  tor  the  discovery  of  many  principles  and 
methods  which  have  become  standard  practice  in  oil 
burner  manufacture. 


tlectrol  engineers  pioneered  in  the  following  points: 

(1)  The  application  of  transformer  generated  ignition 
applied  to  oil  burning.  (Electrol  was  the  first  burner 
using  this  principle  that  was  presented  to  and  ap¬ 
proved  by  the  Underwriters.) 

(2)  The  open  circuit  operation  of  safety  control  in¬ 
stead  of  closed  circuit  method.  This  is  now  standard 
because  with  it  any  electrical  defect  automatically 
shuts  down  the  burner. 

(3)  Cut-off  valves.  Dribbling  of  oil  into  the  combus¬ 
tion  chamber  and  faulty  atomization  due  to  low  pres¬ 
sure  atomization  were  causes  of  trouble  in  the  early 
burners.  Electrol  engineers  developed  the  first  prac¬ 
tical  application  of  the  cut-off  valve — a  device  which 
prevents  the  escape  of  any  oil  until  proper  pressure  for 
atomization  is  built  up  by  the  oil  pump. 

(4)  Direct  connection  of  oil  pump.  Belts,  gears  and 
other  intermediate  driving  means  between  motor  and 


pump  add  more  moving  parts  to  the  assembly,  in¬ 
crease  expense  and  cause  operating  difficulties.  The 
pump  on  the  Electrol  burner  is  packless  and  direct- 
driven  by  a  slow  speed  motor. 

(5)  Mercury  switches.  The  Electrol  burner  was  the 
first  to  be  equipped  with  mercury  switches  making 
contact  in  a  vacuum,  thus  eliminating  switch  contact 
in  air  and  failure  due  to  oxidation  of  these  contacts. 

(6)  Air  for  combustion.  The  principle  of  air  rotation 
applied  to  domestic  burners  is  original  with  Electrol. 

(7)  Mechanical  atomization.  This  method  of  atomi¬ 
zation  was  first  applied  to  domestic  burners  by  Electrol. 

(8)  Development  and  research.  Electrofs  budget 
includes,  annually,  a  very  substantial  sum  for  the 
purpose  of  development  and  research.  A  compre¬ 
hensive  and  well-equipped  research  laboratory  is 
at  all  times  trying  new  and  improved  methods. 


Principal  Parts  of  the  Electrol  Burner 


Nozzle 

The  nozzle  screws  into  the 
stem  of  the  diaphragm 
valve.  A  twirler  is  used 
and  is  ground  into  the  shell 
forming  a  seat.  The  twirler 
Itself  does  not  turn,  but 
because  of  the  eccentric 
position  of  the  slots,  the  oil 
passing  through  the  slots  is 
given  a  twirling  motion, 
which  causes  it  to  break  up  into  a  fine  mist  upon  leav¬ 
ing  the  nozzle  orifice. 

The  nozzle  on  the  Electrol  oil  burner  is  the  only  part 
that  varies  according  to  heating  requirements.  It  is 
simple.  Operates  without  springs.  Nothing  to  get 
out  of  order. 

Pump 

The  pump  used  on  the 
Electrol  oil  burner  is  of 
very  high  efficiency 
and  is  directly  con¬ 
nected  to  the  motor  by 
means  of  a  fibre  coup¬ 
ling  requiring  very  little  power.  It  serves  the  double 
purpose  of  pumping  oil  from  the  supply  tank  and 
maintaining  the  proper  pressure  for  perfect  atomiza¬ 
tion.  It  is  of  the  rotary  gear  type,  having  one  driven 
gear  and  one  idling  gear — self-sealing.  No  stuffing 
box,  auxiliary  pump  or  motor  is  required. 

The  driving  shaft  is  constructed  with  a  bevel  which 
runs  on  a  seat  in  the  pump  housing.  The  bevel  is 
forced  against  the  seat  by  a  small  square  shaft  on 
which  the  driving  gear  floats,  at  the  other  end  of  which 
is  a  ball  and  spring  pressing  against  it.  The  spring 
tension  forms  a  thrust  bearing  and  keeps  the  bevel 
on  the  drive  shaft  against  the  seat. 

Diaphragm  Valve 

The  diaphragm  valve  prevents  oil  from  flowing  by 
gravity  from  the  pump  and  pressure  regulating 


valve,  through  the  nozzle 
and  into  the  furnace.  It 
also  immediately  shuts  off 
the  oil  at  the  nozzle  tip  to 
prevent  dripping  when  the 
motor  stops  and  the  pres¬ 
sure  drops  on  the  pump. 

The  oil  from  the  fuel  line 
passes  first  through  the 
diaphragm  strainer  and  then  presses  against  the  dia¬ 
phragm.  This  pressure  on  the  diaphragm  overcomes 
the  tension  of  a  spring  and  indirectly  raises  the 
needle  valve  from  its  seat.  When  the  needle  valve 
is  raised,  the  oil  is  forced  through  the  tube  and 
out  of  the  nozzle. 

Motor  and  Fan 

The  motor  is  small — 1/6 
horsepower — low  speed 
with  low  current  consump¬ 
tion,  and  is  specially  built 
for  the  Electrol  burner. 

A  six-inch  Sirocco  fan  is 
used.  The  fan  is  directly 
connected  to  the  motor 
shaft,  furnishing  the  supply 
of  air  for  combustion.  In 
order  to  obtain  more  capacity  for  the  TD  burner? 
a  3/^  H.  P.  motor  is  employed. 

Pressure  Regulating  Valve 

This  valve  is  bolted  to  the  side 
of  the  pump.  By  means  of  a 
screw  adjustment,  different  pres¬ 
sures  can  be  applied  to  the 
spring.  The  spring  applies  a 
constant  pressure  against  the 
disk.  The  disk  presses  against 
the  needle  valve,  forcing  it  into 
its  seat.  When  oil  is  forced  into 
the  chamber,  it  presses  against 


the  metal  disk,  cupping  it  up — the  pressure  on  the 
needle  valve  is  relieved  and  the  spring  causes  the 
needle  valve  to  open  and  allow  the  oil  that  is  not 
used  to  return  to  the  supply  tank. 


duty  spark  which  is  truly  an  arc,  it  was  necessary 
to  design  a  transformer  of  sufficiently  rugged  con¬ 
struction  to  prevent  overheating  and  breakdown  of 
insulation. 


Strainer 

The  line  strainer  is  connected  to 
the  suction  side  of  the  pump.  It 
consists  of  a  strainer  housing  and 
strainer  bowl,  which  screws  into 
the  housing.  A  screen  assembly  is 
fastened  to  the  bowl.  To  clean 
the  strainer,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  unscrew  the  bowl  from  the 
housing  and  then  unscrew  the 
screen  from  the  bowl,  by  hand.  A 
sheet-brass  line  silencer  is  used,  which  takes  out  all 
singing  in  the  suction  and  return  lines. 


Purolator 

On  all  Electrol  installations  a  Purolator  is  utilized  for 
filtering  oil  from  the  supply  tank.  The  Purolator  is 
of  similar  design  and  construction  to  the  models  used 
for  filtering  lubricating  oil  in  automobiles.  This 
type  of  strainer  takes  out  the  very  finely  divided 
particles  that  are  present  in  most  fuel  ods,  thus  en¬ 
suring  absolutely  clean  oil.  The  Purolator  is  mounted 
against  the  cellar  wall  in  the  suction  line. 

Thermostat 

Low  voltage  thermostats  are  used  on  the  Model  T. 
Only  a  series  10  thermostat  can  be  used.  When 
specified,  an  eight-day  clock  is  furnished  which  will 
automatically  control  a  different  temperature  during 
the  night  from  that  needed  during  the  day,  effecting  a 
saving  in  fuel.  High  voltage  controls  are  standard 
equipment  on  the  Model  TJ  and  TD  Electrol  burners. 

Ignition  Transformer 

In  the  Electrol  burner  ignition  is  continuous  while 
oil  is  being  pumped.  In  order  to  supply  a  heavy 


Electrol  Ignition  System 


Continuous  electric  arc  produced  at  electrodes  and  blown 
by  the  air  current  into  the  oil  mixture,  giving  positive 
ignition  without  electrodes  coming  into  contact  with  oil. 


Radio  Interference — Because  of  the  design  there  is 
rarely  any  trouble  in  this  connection.  However,  in 
case  there  is  a  surge  in  the  supply  lines  which  might 
cause  interference,  a  specially  designed  radio  trap 
can  be  furnished  which  will  eliminate  any  possibility 
of  interference. 


Relay 

On  the  Electrol  burner  is  supplied  a  relay  which  is 
operated  by  the  room  thermostat,  using  low  voltage 
supplied  by  a  step-down  transformer  in  the  control 
box.  So  long  as  the  room  thermostat  is  on  (calling 
for  heat)  a  failure  of  the  electric  supply  will  simply 
drop  this  relay  by  gravity  and  turn  off  the  burner. 
When  the  supply  voltage  is  turned  on  again  this  relay 
will  pick  up  the  load  and  restart  the  burner  without 
attention  from  the  owner. 


Materials  Used  in  the  Electrol  Burner 

1  he  materials  used  in  the  Electrol  burner  have  been 
selected  after  ten  years  of  development  and  research 
work.  Every  part  has  been  studied  under  the  most 
rigorous  operating  conditions.  As  a  result  of  this 
study  the  materials  specified  for  each  part  of  the 
burner  are  the  best  and  most  durable  that  can  be 
obtained. 

1  he  quality  of  the  material  and  the  care  exercised  in 
the  manufacture  are  such  that  it  is  possible  to  guar¬ 
antee  every  part  in  the  Electrol  burner  against  me¬ 
chanical  failure. 


[20] 


The  Electrol  Master  Control 


If  complete  automatic  operation  of  an  oil  burner  is  to 
be  accompanied  with  absolute  safety,  a  control  sys¬ 
tem  is  necessary.  This  control  device  must  function 
to  shut  down  the  burner  and  place  it  in  a  non-operating 
condition  if  any  abnormal  condition  occurs. 

In  the  Electrol  burner,  the  safety  control  system  is 
known  as  the  Electrol  Master  Control.  This  system 
of  operation  was  developed  and  patented  by  Electrol 
Engineers. 

The  occurrence  of  any  one  of  a  number  of  conditions 
will  cause  the  Master  Control  to  function.  The  most 
important  of  these  conditions  are: 


Retarded  fuel  delivery  through  feed  line; 

A  break  in  the  electric  wiring,  short  circuiting,  or 
ignition  failure; 

Any  condition  which  prevents  motor  from  operating 
at  normal  speed; 

Operation  of  burner  when  oil  tank  is  empty; 

Presence  of  water  in  the  oil; 

No  flame  of  burning  oil; 

Any  abnormal  condition  in  the  combustion  chamber. 


Dimensions  and  Capacities  of  Electrol  Burners 


Capacities  of  Electrol  Burners 
Range:  Square  Feet  of  Actual  C.  I.  Radiators 
Model  Steam  Heat  Hot  Water 

TJ  200—  800  350—  1,300 

T  600—3,000  1,000—  5,000 

TD  2,000—7,000  3,500—13,000 


These  ranges  include  piping  and  risers. 

Ranges  for  vapor  jobs  fall  in  between  the  steam 
and  hot  water  capacities  and  vary  according  to  the 
degree  of  vacuum  under  which  the  system  is 
operating. 


Model 

Modcl-TJ 
Model'  T 
Model'T  D 


2C4 

4Zi 


III 


s£ 

Si' 

<Si 


£!± 

3a. 


(£r 

/s 


Chart  of  Dimensions  and  Capacities  of  Electrol  Burners. 

Oil  Burner  Service  for  Architects  and  Engineers 


This  book  has  been  prepared  as  a  reference  work  on 
the  application  of  automatic  oil  heating.  The  pre¬ 
ceding  pages  briefly  discuss  the  principal  points  to 
be  considered  in  planning  or  in  supervising  an  in¬ 
stallation. 

However,  for  complete  understanding  of  any  mechan¬ 
ical  device,  it  is  advisable  to  see  it  in  actual  operation. 
Therefore,  Electrol  dealers  place  their  facilities  at  the 
Architect’s  and  Engineer’s  disposal.  The  Electrol 
dealer  will  gladly  make  arrangements  for  you  to  see 
one  or  more  of  his  installations,  at  any  time  which  will 


suit  your  convenience.  He  will  be  glad  to  consult 
with  you  on  any  problem  relating  to  the  installation 
of  oil  heat  in  a  particular  building,  or  to  give  you 
information  on  any  problem  in  which  his  experience 
may  be  of  value. 

Electrol  Engineers  are  always  at  the  service  of 
Architects  and  Engineers.  Their  services  in  laying 
out  systems  or  in  devising  means  to  overcome  unusual 
conditions  are  available  at  any  time.  For  this  service 
there  is  neither  charge  nor  obligation. 


1211 


SPECIFICATIONS 


General : 


Burner 

Guarantee: 

Burner: 


Pump: 


Oil 

Atomization : 

Regulating 

Valve: 

Service : 

Boiler  Work : 


Smoke  Flue: 

Tank: 


Piping: 


Testing: 

Control 

Devices: 


Of  Complete  Equipment  for  an  Electrol  Oil  Burner 
Installation,  in  Accordance  With  the  Underwriters’  Rules 

This  specification  covers  the  installation  of  an  automatic  oil  burning  system  including 
burner,  baffling,  oil  storage  tank,  controlling  and  safety  devices,  gauges,  and  the  necessary 
pipe,  fittings,  fill-box,  vent  hood,  and  electric  connections,  including  all  material  and  labor  to 
make  a  complete  oil  burning  installation.  The  burner  shall  be  installed  in  a  boiler  provided 
by  the  Owner.  When  installed,  the  system  shall  be  tested  and  left  in  condition  to  start  automati¬ 
cally  provided  the  Owner  provides  a  continuous  oil  supply  and  the  main  control  switch  has 
been  closed.  Thereafter  the  burner  will  start  and  stop  as  heat  is  required,  controlled  by  the 
thermostat.  The  entire  fuel  oil  burning  system,  when  installed,  shall  comply  with  the  rules 
of  the  National  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  and  also  any  local  fire  and  electric  rules  or  ordinances 
that  are  in  force. 

The  burner  must  be  guaranteed  for  one  year  by  a  Company  of  approved  responsibility  against 
failure  of  any  parts  due  to  defective  material  or  workmanship. 

The  oil  burner  shall  have  continuous  electric  ignition  while  oil  is  being  sprayed  into  the  furnace 
and  be  positively  controlled  in  its  operation  so  that  if  anything  occurs  to  affect  safe  operation 
of  the  burner,  it  will  stop  automatically  and  not  operate  again  until  manually  restarted.  No 
overflow  device,  where  quantities  of  oil  are  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  for  controlling  the 
burner,  will  be  permitted  or  accepted. 

The  oil  pump  shall  be  integral  with  the  burner,  directly  connected  to  the  motor  shaft.  The 
pump  shall  be  of  the  rotary  gear  type,  having  one  driven  gear  and  one  idling  gear.  It  shall  be 
self-sealing,  no  stuffing  box  being  employed.  The  pump  shall  be  of  sufficient  capacity  to  supply 
oil  of  any  gravity  between  28°  Baume  and  45°  Baume  for  the  full  capacity  of  the  burner.  It 
shall  lift  oil  direct  from  underground  tank  without  auxiliary  equipment. 

The  oil  shall  be  completely  atomized  by  the  pressure  mechanical  atomizing  principle  and 
Intimately  mixed  with  air  for  combustion. 

A  pressure-regulating  valve  shall  be  employed  in  conjunction  with  the  pump,  so  that  the  supply 
of  oil  to  the  nozzle  may  be  regulated  to  suit  combustion  requirements  of  the  furnace. 

The  contractor  shall  agree  to  inspect  and  adjust  the  burner  after  same  has  been  put  in  operation 
and  thereafter  to  furnish  service  for  the  remainder  of  the  Owner’s  heating  season,  free  of 
charge. 

The  burner  must  operate  at  full  efficiency  with  a  60%  free  swinging  damper,  or  damper  in  open 
position.  The  boiler  and  smoke  pipe  shall  be  thoroughly  cleaned  of  any  accumulation  of  soot 
and  ashes  before  work  of  baffling  is  started.  The  damper  shall  be  fastened  in  an  open  position 
or  removed,  so  that  operation  with  a  fully  closed  damper  will  never  occur.  The  grate  bars 
shall  be  removed  and  a  combustion  chamber  constructed  within  the  boiler,  of  No.  1  Firebrick, 
of  such  design  as  to  efficiently  burn  the  oil  delivered  by  the  nozzle  and  direct  the  resulting  hot 
gases  against  the  heating  surface  of  the  boiler.  This  work  shall  be  carefully  performed  because 
It  is  recognized  that  the  size  and  proportions  of  this  chamber  have  a  very  definite  relation  to 
the  size  of  the  nozzle  and  the  size  and  type  of  the  boiler. 

Whenever  possible,  the  present  smoke  flue  shall  be  used,  but  should  any  defects  be  present  which 
prevent  the  proper  combustion  of  oil,  the  Owner  agrees  to  make  any  reasonable  changes  that 
are  considered  necessary  for  proper  operation  of  the  burner. 

The  tank  shall  be  of  1,000  U.  S.  gallons  capacity,  made  of  open  hearth  tank  steel  free  from 
defects  with  all  seams  welded,  riveted  and  welded  or  riveted  and  caulked.  (Underwriters’ 
label  attached.)  It  shall  contain  the  necessary  openings  for  fill,  vent,  suction,  return,  gauge 
and  clean-cut  connections.  The  tank  shall  be  located  as  shown  on  plan  or  as  described  by 
Owner.  In  all  respects  the  tank  installation  must  conform  to  the  requirements  of  the  local 
authorities.  Any  necessary  excavating,  backfilling,  and  resurfacing  of  the  top  soil,  and  carting 
away  of  surplus  soil,  shall  be  a  part  of  the  contract.  If  rock,  pipes,  water,  or  quicksand  is 
encountered  the  owner  will  pay  the  additional  cost  for  overcoming  these  obstacles. 

The  oil  piping  system  shall  be  installed  in  accordance  with  the  Underwriters’  rules  and  other 
local  ordinances,  and  consists  of  the  necessary  fill  pipe,  vent  pipe,  suction  pipe,  and  return 
oil  pipe  from  the  tank  to  the  burner.  Black  iron  pipe  shall  be  used  throughout.  All  necessary 
fittings,  valves,  fill  box,  and  vent  hood  shall  be  a  part  of  the  piping  system. 

4  he  testing  of  the  tank  and  piping  system  shall  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  Underwriters’ 
rules  and  also  any  local  ordinances  then  in  force. 

The  controlling  devices  shall  consist  of  an  electrically  operated  thermostat  and  boilerstat, 
square  D  switch,  the  necessary  wire  and  BX  cable  to  connect  all  these  devices  together  and  to 


122} 


Safety 

Control: 


Boiler 

Controls: 

Oil  Gauges 


Electric 
Current : 

Fire- 

Proofing: 

Permits: 


the  burner  from  the  fuse  panel  to  make  a  complete  automatic  control  system.  The  thermostat 
shall  be  placed  so  that  an  average  temperature  may  be  obtained  throughout  the  house,  or 
located  where  agreed  upon  by  the  Owner. 

The  control  ot  the  burner  shall  be  vested  in  a  positive  and  unfailing  mechanism  which  is  built 
as  a  unit  with  the  burner.  It  shall  be  self-adjusting  to  the  temperature  conditions  of  each  and 
every  installation,  and  not  affected  by  room  temperature.  This  control  will  render  the  oil 
burning  installation  SAFE  under  any  of  the  following  conditions: 

1.  Failure  of  power  supply. 

2.  The  breaking  of  ignition  wiring,  short-circuiting  or  failure  of  ignition. 

3.  Any  condition  which  prevents  motor  from  operating  at  normal  speed. 

4.  No  oil  in  tank. 

5.  Presence  of  excessive  water  in  oil  tank. 

6.  A  reduction  in  fuel  delivery  through  line  or  strainer  stoppage. 

7.  Failure  of  combustion  or  any  abnormal  condition  that  should  arise  in  the  combustion 
chamber. 

The  installation  shall  include  a  boiler  or  furnace  control  which  will  control  the  supply  of 
electric  current  to  the  burner  and  shut  it  down  in  the  presence  of  excessive  pressure  or 
temperature,  as  the  case  may  be. 

An  oil  gauge  so  designed  as  to  prevent  the  escape  of  oil  or  vapor  in  the  building,  shall  be  in¬ 
stalled  to  indicate  the  quantity  of  oil  in  the  supply  tank.  The  gauge  is  to  be  of  the  mechanically 
operated  bellows,  or  other  equal  type,  with  a  dial  indicating  3T>  3^5  M  or  foil,  and  installed  in 
the  basement  in  a  convenient  place. 

The  Owner  shall  provide  a  convenient  electric  supply  of  the  proper  voltage  to  operate  the 
burner.  If  necessary,  the  Owner,  in  co-operation  with  the  Electric  Company,  will  provide 
leads  of  sufficient  capacity  to  prevent  excessive  drop  in  voltage  from  the  outside  source. 
Fire-proofing  of  the  boiler-room,  if  required  by  the  local  fire  ordinances,  shall  be  completed 
by  the  Owner. 

All  necessary  permits  that  must  be  obtained  from  local  governing  boards  will  be  provided  by  the 
contractor  except  that  a  recurring  periodic  charge  by  any  governing  board  shall  be  borne  by 
the  owner. 


Extracts  from  Underwriters’  Rules 
for  the  Installation  of  Automatic  Oil  Burning  Equipment 


1.  Oil.  Oil  used  for  fuel  under  these  rules  shall  be  a 
topped  or  distilled  oil  having  a  flash  point  of  not  less 
than  100  degrees  F.  closed  cup. 

2.  Tanks.  Storage  tanks  shall  preferably  be  located 
outside,  the  top  at  least  2  feet  underground.  An 
inside  exposed  tank  shall  not  exceed  275  gallons 
capacity.  Inside  tanks  over  275  gallons  shall  be 
completely  enclosed  in  concrete  not  less  than  12 
inches  in  thickness  or  its  equivalent.  A  space  of 
6  inches  must  be  left  all  around  the  tank.  This  space 
must  be  filled  with  sand  or  well  tamped  earth,  with 
12  inches  of  sand  on  top  of  tank.  A  concrete  slab 
not  less  than  5  inches  thick  must  be  placed  over  this 
vault. 

In  ordinary  buildings,  enclosed  tank  capacity  shall 
not  exceed  5,000  gallons.  Tank  capacity  up  to 
50,000  gallons  may  be  stored  underground  within  10 
feet  of  any  building  when  tank  is  above  lowest  floor 
of  building.  If  tank  is  lower  than  all  floors  of  build¬ 
ings,  75,000  gallons  may  be  stored  within  a  radius 
of  10  feet.  Tanks  shall  be  securely  anchored  or 
weighted  in  place  to  prevent  floating,  where  conditions 
make  it  necessary. 

Minimum  thickness  of  steel  for  tanks: 

275  gals.  16  gauge  metal 
1,000  to  4,000  gals.  7  gauge  metal 

5,000  to  12,000  gals.  34  inch  plate 


All  vents  must  be  of  galvanized  iron  pipe.  Minimum 
pipe  size  1  inch.  Increase  the  size  of  vent  in  propor¬ 
tion  to  size  of  tank,  when  capacity  is  over  1,000 
gallons.  The  outer  end  shall  be  provided  with  a 
screened,  weather-proof  hood,  terminating  at  a 
point  outside  of  building  not  less  than  3  feet  from 
any  window  or  building  opening  and  preferably  12 
feet  above  top  of  full  line. 

A  test  well  or  gauging  device  must  be  designed  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  escape  of  oil  or  vapor  when  closed.  Test 
wells  shall  not  be  located  within  buildings.  Man¬ 
holes,  if  used,  shall  have  covers  securely  fastened  in 
order  to  make  access  difficult  by  unauthorized  persons. 
All  filling  pipes  shall  terminate  outside  of  buildings 
and  when  installed  in  the  vicinity  of  any  door  or  other 
building  opening,  shall  be  as  remote  therefrom  as 
possible  in  order  to  prevent  liability  of  flow  of  oil 
or  vapor  through  building  openings;  terminal  shall 
be  provided  with  a  metal  cover  or  cap,  which  may  be 
locked. 

3.  Piping.  Standard,  full  weight,  wrought  iron, 
steel  or  brass  pipe  with  substantial  fittings  shall  be 
used  and  shall  be  carefully  protected  against  mechan¬ 
ical  injury  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  authorities 
having  jurisdiction.  Do  not  use  galvanized  pipe  for 
lines  carrying  oil.  In  all  piping  systems  proper 
allowance  shall  be  made  for  expansion  and  contrac¬ 


ts  1 


tion,  jarring  and  vibration.  Piping  shall  be  separated 
from  exposed  electric  wiring,  that  is  not  enclosed  in 
approved  conduit  as  provided  by  the  National  Elec¬ 
trical  Code. 

Copper  tubing  of  not  less  than  1/16  inch  wall  thick¬ 
ness  is  approved  for  use  where  permitted  by  local 
authorities.  Flexible  metallic  tubing  of  an  approved 
type  may  be  used  to  eliminate  jarring  or  vibration, 
if  installed  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  limitations 
on  its  approval.  Piping  shall  be  run  as  directly  as 
possible  and  pitched  back  toward  tank.  Openings 
through  masonry  walls  below  the  ground  level  shall 
be  made  oil-tight. 

4.  Ventilation.  Adequate  ventilation  of  boiler  room 
shall  be  provided  in  order  to  insure  proper  combustion. 

5.  Dampers.  Dampers  which  may  entirely  close  the 
chimney  up-take  are  prohibited.  Damper  area  shall 
be  carefully  determined  in  each  case,  but  in  no  case 
shall  it  be  greater  than  80%  of  the  internal  cross- 
sectional  area  of  the  up-take. 

6.  Emergency  Control.  A  valve  should  be  in¬ 
stalled  in  the  suction  line  to  shut  off  the  flow  of  oil 
to  the  burner  in  the  case  of  emergency.  A  switch 
in  the  power  lines  to  the  burner  should  be  installed 
so  that  the  power  may  be  cut  off  in  case  of  emergency. 
Signs  indicating  the  purpose  of  these  controls  shall  be 
located  at  the  control  device.  It  is  recommended 
that  in  steam,  vapor,  or  vapor  vacuum  systems  an 
approved  low  water  cutoff  be  Installed  to  guard 
against  firing  into  a  dry  boiler  or  one  in 
which  the  water  line  is  dangerously  low. 

An  automatic  water  feeder  may  be  used  in 
this  case  when  a  positive  water  pressure  is 
always  available. 

7.  Instruction  Card.  A  card  giving  com¬ 
plete  instructions  in  regard  to  the  care  and 
operation  of  the  system  shall  be  permanently 
posted  near  the  apparatus. 


8.  Fire  Protection.  Any  woodwork,  wooden  lath 
and  plaster  partition  or  other  combustible  material 
within  4  feet  of  the  sides  or  back  or  8  feet  from  the 
front  of  the  furnace  shall  be  covered  with  approved 
plaster  board  or  other  approved  incombustible  mate¬ 
rial.  Smoke  pipes  shall  be  located  with  minimum 
clearances  to  ceilings,  partitions,  etc.,  in  accordance 
with  the  following  table: 


Minimum 
Clearance 
if  Unprotected 

Woodwork .  24" 

Plaster  on  wood  lath. .  18" 

Plaster  on  incombus¬ 
tible  lath,  wooden 
beams  or  studs ...  .  9" 


Minimum 
Clearance 
if  Protected 
12" 

9" 


'jr 


The  protection  required  by  the  above  table  shall 
consist  of  a  sheet  of  metal  or  equivalent  covering 
placed  at  least  1  inch  from  the  surface  to  be  pro¬ 
tected,  extending  the  full  length  of  the  smoke  pipe 
and  at  least  12  inches  beyond  it  on  both  sides. 

Recognizing  the  value  of  first-aid  fire-extinguishers 
near  furnaces  or  other  forms  of  heating  plants  irre¬ 
spective  of  the  fuel  used,  so  located  as  to  be  con¬ 
venient  for  use  in  emergency,  there  shall  be  provided 
an  approved  hand  fire-extinguisher  of  a  suitable  type. 

9.  Installation.  Oil  burning  equipment  shall  be 
installed  only  by  properly  qualified  mechanics  ex¬ 
perienced  in  this  kind  of  work. 


••••  ■  ■  HU  * . .  .  '  ■»  |  J  jL  > 


Showing  typical  installation  of  an  Electrol  burner. 

[24] 


Printed  in  U.  S.  A. 


